Pandora Book One New Beginning
by HogwartsOracle
Summary: This story begins where the movie ends, with Jake's eyes snapping open. Read the introduction for a full summary of the story.
1. Introduction

**Pandora – Book One**

**Introduction**

**Disclaimer:**

Avatar, Pandora and the Na'vi are the exclusive intellectual property of Twentieth Century Fox and James Cameron. This work is strictly for the enjoyment of the large number of people that have enjoyed the movie and wish the saga to continue. Any other use besides reading on this Fan-Fiction website is prohibited.

**Authors Note:**

_November 13, 2010:_

_I am updating each of the chapters with corrections in grammar. I am also adding an epilogue in preparation for Book II. I hope to begin work on Book II shortly after Thanksgiving._

I am republishing 'The Balance of Life' under this title having corrected all the errors I could find in the original publication. I'm sure I have missed a few here and there. Please let me know if you find any. I have also regrouped the many posts into ten longer ones that make for a more cohesive story line. After a few weeks, I will remove the original postings.

**Story:**

This sequel to Avatar begins at the moment the movie ends, with Jake's eyes snapping open after passing through the Eye of Eywa and returning. I am basing the events and facts used in this story on both the theatrical release of Avatar and the script titled the same by James Cameron. The script fills in several missing pieces as to why certain events unfold the way they do. I will note those events in this introduction.

A search of the web will lead you to references to 'Project 880'. This is reputed to be the original script that eventually became the movie. From what I have been able to learn, Project 880 provides much greater detail into the science and background of Pandora and conditions on Earth at the time these events take place, 2154. I will use a few of the themes from Project 880 to fill in some of the missing gaps. These themes will also be noted.

Four additional references sources cited for this story are:

An Activist Survival Guide. Most of the content available at www dot pandorapedia dot com

Avatar – The Movie Scrapbook.

The Art of Avatar.

Web sites that define the Na'vi language.

I plan to divide the story into the following parts:

Book One - New Beginning

Book Two - Life Continues

Book Three - The Return

Possibly more books to follow.

Each part will be composed of from 10 to 12 chapters. Each chapter will be approximately 10,000 to 15,000 words in length. If a new chapter has expanded detail I will note it in the introduction.

I will use mostly English, even if the dialog is actually taking place in Na'vi. This will simplify the reading process. Actual Na'vi words will be italicized. I will assume that the Na'vi language has expanded past what is defined in 'An Activist Survival Guide' so that the Na'vi characters, especially Neytiri, can articulate broader concepts that would be possible in the abbreviated Na'vi language. This may not be strict cannon, but I feel it will make the story more interesting and enjoyable.

The story has many themes:

Details the love Neytiri and Jake share for each other and their people.

Follows Jake's journey as he becomes completely Na'vi.

Chronicles the Omaticaya's struggles to rebuild and deal with the return of Sky People to Pandora.

Follows the remaining humans as they discover the true wealth and wonder that is Pandora.

Building a trust between the Na'vi and the remaining humans.

More-to-come.

**Format:**

The story is written in the third-person format. I will try to balance the narrative with the dialog, both spoken and thought. At times the narrative may out-weigh the dialog and vice-versa. Breaks are signaled by [xxxxx] for a small change in location or delay in time. [xxxxxxxxxx] signals a major break in location or time, typically between Hell's Gate and the Well of Souls.

**Author:**

My first foray into writing Fan Fiction was with the world of Harry Potter, as my pen name suggests. I started writing about eight years ago, writing HP for about three years. My story was titled 'The Phoenix Prophecy' which grew to over 500,000 words. So as you can see, I do like rather long stories. For several years the demands of life have left me little time to write, or at least write with the dedication that I feel compelled to put into the writing effort. Avatar has sparked my desire to resume writing. The world of Pandora and the Na'vi are as rich in material as is the story they tell.

Reviews and comments are always welcome. I will try to answer any direct questions posed in the reviews.

**Events not in the theatrical release of Avatar:**

Neytiri had an older sister named Sylwanin who was killed, along with several other young Na'vi warriors, by RDA Sec-Op mercenaries in the doorway of Grace's school for setting an RDA bulldozer on fire. This explains why the Na'vi and humans are no longer communicating. It also explains why Neytiri was ready to kill Jake on sight until a wood sprite _'Atokirina_' landed on her arrowhead.

In the movie Jake comments that the Avatar's are insanely expensive. We also see at least eight of them in the Avatar compound. The reason for the Avatar program is glossed over in the movie, but a logical reason is put forth by Project 880. The cost of sending human's to Pandora to work is also insanely expensive. The purpose of the Avatar program is to train the local Na'vi to be workers in place of humans. Obviously, had the RDA truly understood the Na'vi they would never have begun the program in the first place. This theme will play into my store with a variation.

Neytiri did not tell Jake that mating was for 'whole-of-life' until after they had mated before Eywa. This shows that she is willing to bend the rules for something she wants. Also, in the script, Neytiri and Jake join their queues to form _shahaylu_ (the bond) during mating, the ultimate intimacy. As long as I am on the subject of mating, I am going to assume that mating for Na'vi is very similar to that of humans. Babies gestate in their mother's womb and are born live. Because the Na'vi are fifty percent larger than humans, gestation would most likely be longer. I will assume one year pregnancies. Na'vi babies are nursed at their mother's breast. This is referenced in the script. The script has many more references to children than the movie, where they seemed conspicuously absent.

In the script Neytiri is supposedly 'obviously pregnant'. This is very unlikely as Jake's last video-log takes place after this and references day 98. They first mated somewhere around day 89, so even if Neytiri was pregnant she would not be showing. I am assuming that she is not pregnant. As the story unfolds you will know why.

The script details several scene's where the Na'vi participate in dancing and drinking intoxicating spirits. There is also a scene where Jake swallows a purple worm that causes him to hallucinate after being stung in the back of the neck by the equivalent of a scorpion. During this hallucination, Jake ultimately sees himself as a Leonopteryx flying over a decimated planet. He tells no one about his vision, but we conclude that Mo'at knows what he saw in his vision.

Tsu'tey did not die from the fall after being shot. Wainwright catches him after he falls and cuts off his queue. After Quaritch is killed, Jake and Neytiri return to find Tsu'tey being tended by Mo'at. He is mortally wounded and asks Jake to set his spirit free. Jake finally complies, and with tears in his eyes ends Tsu'tey's suffering. Jake was Tsu'tey's 'last shadow'.

More-to-come as the story unfolds.

**Film Characters:**

Jake Sully

Neytiri

Mo'at

Norm Spellman (Avatar Driver)

Specialty: Botany

Max Cullimore (Patel in the Movie) (Avatar Lab Manager)

Specialty: Medical Doctor: Avatar specialist

**Original Characters:**

**Na'vi**

Ralu (young Na'vi female, six years of age)

Ansita (teenage Na'vi female – Ralu's cousin)

Tey'bar (teenage (17) Na'vi male that captured his _Ikran_ with Jake)

Ell'a'u (teenage (17) Na'vi female that captured her _Ikran_ with Jake)

Ateyo (Young (14) male teenage hunter in training)

Neynat (Young (14) female teenage hunter in training)

Tagola (Young male(15) teenage hunter in training)

Eu'ta'o (Female warrior)

Tau'san (Male warrior)

Silpey, Tanhi, Tsulam, Ninral (Na'vi children)

Mayteo (Young Na'vi boy)

Tsharilu (Ralu's aunt)

Ea'u'tey (Ralu's uncle)

Mauhi (Na'vi woman)

Solundo (Na'vi man)

ZaeZae (Na'vi woman)

Katoke (Oldest living Na'vi male)

**Human**

Judy McNeal (Avatar Driver – playing basketball in the movie)

Twenty-Nine, Brunette, blue eyes, athletic, likes sports

Specialty: Archaeology

Mate: Kyle

Kyle Logan (Avatar Driver – playing basketball in the movie)

Thirty, Honey blond hair, brown eyes, athletic, enjoys everything out of doors.

Specialty: Anthropologist, Knowledge of geology

Mate: Judy

Andy Truman (Avatar Driver)

Twenty-Six, Brown hair, Hazel eyes, book-worm.

Specialty: Bio Chemistry

Abby Foster (Avatar Driver)

Thirty-One, Jet black hair, waist length, light green eyes, slim build,

Specialty: Molecular biology

John (Buck) Claymore (Avatar Driver)

Thirty-Three, Sandy brown hair, blue eyes, athletic, enjoys climbing

Specialty: Artificial Intelligence

Susan Blyth (Avatar Med-tech)

Thirty-Six, Long blond hair, light blue eyes, short

Specialty: Avatar technician

Ron Campbell (Avatar Med-tech)

Thirty-Four, Sandy brown hair, deep blue eyes

Specialty: Avatar technician

James (Rocky) Rockwell (VTOL Pilot)

Thirty-Eight, Reddish blond hair, green eyes, short muscular build

Specialty: Pilot

Karen Ripley (Equipment Tech)

Thirty-three, short auburn hair, emerald green eyes, freckles, five-eight, and physically fit, good figure.

Specialty: Neural link equipment and technology

Mate: Norm

Zoe Fischer (Supply Clerk)

Thirty-three, five-ten, shoulder length brown hair, dark blue eyes, oval face, slender build

Specialty: Geology and Volcanology

Gary Albright (System's Specialist)

Forty, Six-six, two-ten, dark brown hair, brown eyes

Specialty: Computers, Electronics and Communications

Roger Polanski (Cook)

Forty-Five, Five-Ten, two-twenty, blond hair, blue eyes

Specialty: Food Services

I will fill out the characters in additional posts as the story unfolds. At some point I may develop back stories for each of the major characters.


	2. Chapter 1

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Chapter 1**

Jakesully's eye's snapped open, but there was no life or awareness in them. His avatar body remained deathly still. With each passing second Neytiri felt a growing sense of dread that she could not overcome. She knew with a final certainty that Jake's life spirit no longer inhabited his human body. She had felt it slip away while her hand rested gently, affectionately on his cheek. It had surprised her that she felt so much sadness in the passing of his damaged human body. She also knew that Jake had to pass through the 'Eye of Eywa'…and return. Since this was unprecedented, she didn't really know how long it should take. The fact that Grace had been too weak to complete the journey gave her no reference as to what to expect. She felt totally helpless, a feeling that did not sit well with her.

Even though she fully trusted the wisdom of Eywa in all things, she could not calm her mind. The man that lay still as stone beside her had come to mean everything to her. The love that had slowly grown within her, that same love they shared when they were mated for life before Eywa, was small and insignificant compared to what she now felt for Jake. For the second time, she felt real fear that she would lose her life-mate while she stood by helpless as a baby. She knew, without the slightest doubt that Jake would die to protect her or any member of the clan, as warriors often did. But now that they had survived when so many others had not, she could not bear the thought of losing him, even to Eywa.

"Mother…" Neytiri called out softly, her distress clearly visible on her face and in her quavering voice.

"Patience daughter," Mo'at replied placing a comforting hand on Neytiri's shoulder.

Neytiri tried to calm herself. Her mother's touch helping as much as the gentle rhythmic prayer singing still being offered by her people. As the seconds turned into minutes she managed to finally quiet her mind. Gazing out at her people she absorbed their quiet serenity, taking it inside her with each succeeding breath. When her gaze drifted back to Jake's face she froze, her heart leaping into her throat while every muscle in her body went rigid as a bow string.

"I see you," Jake whispered softly, his eyes alive with life and love for his mate.

"I see you," Neytiri replied once she could finally speak past the hard lump in her throat, her eyes welling with hot tears.

"I'm not sure I can move just yet," Jake added hesitantly.

"Squeeze my hand," she ordered, intertwining his fingers with her own.

Slowly, willfully Jake commanded his body to obey. This was nothing like the normal sensation of inhabiting his avatar body through a link with his human mind. Even though his body felt familiar, if felt different at the same time. Suddenly Jake was struck with panic that Eywa could move his spirit into this body but he would not be able to control it. The feeling that he had moved from one crippled body to another became so strong that he winced involuntarily from the imagined pain.

"Good, squeeze harder," Neytiri commanded when she felt his fingers flex weakly in hers. "I know that you can do this."

Jake fought past the self-pity that started to invade his mind and concentrated every fiber of his being into feeling Neytiri's hand in his and doing as she asked.

"Yes, yes…," Neytiri cried as she felt his grip strengthen in her hand. The relief that Jake was able to move started to untie some of the knots that had formed in her stomach, allowing her to breathe easier.

As the pleasure of feeling Neytiri's hand filled his brain, he willed his arm to move so that he could bring their joined hands to his lips. Even though it seemed to take an unbearable length of time, he gently kissed the back of her hand when it touched his lips.

His gesture arrowed straight to her heart, which was already so tender it ached. She desperately wanted to lay her head on his chest and listen to the comforting beat of his heart, but she knew that what he need now was for her to be strong. To push him as hard as she was certain he was pushing himself.

"Move your legs Jake," she ordered, her voice firm but not harsh. "You can do this as well."

"Concentrate! You can do this," she added as his toes wiggled slightly.

Slowly, and with aching effort, Jake managed to move his legs. After several minutes, with sweat forming on his brow, he managed to lift each leg bending them slowly at the knee.

"Help me to sit up." Jake asked after flexing both of his arms.

With Norm's help, Neytiri slowly pulled Jake up into a sitting position. Watching his face closely, Neytiri became aware of the total silence around them. Glancing over her shoulder she saw that all of their people seated in the prayer circle were intently watching Jake. The realization that Jake was just as important to them as he was to her filled her with a feeling of guilt for being only concerned with herself and her needs. Jake was their leader in every possible way. _Toruk Macto_, rider of last shadow, would always be their leader. What her people needed now was to see that their leader was strong and healthy. Losing Jake now would destroy the hope that had been slowly growing since the defeat of the Sky People. Selfishly, she admitted to herself, she didn't know if should could find the strength to lead her people without Jake beside her. Therefore, Jake had to stand. He had to come back to their people. Surely Eywa would not send Jake, _Toruk Macto_, back to them as anything less than the leader the _Omatikaya_ so desperately needed.

"Do you think you can stand?" Neytiri asked softly so that only Jake and Norm could hear. "Your people need to see that their leader is strong and among them," she added, pushing aside her feelings that she was pushing Jake too hard.

"I think so," Jake replied, his face unreadable as he hid his own fears that he might not be able stand or walk again. He had never given in to his body's failure as a human. He was damn well not going to give in as a Na'vi either.

Neytiri was torn between helping him as much as possible and as little as possible. Jake saved her from the dilemma by getting to his feet mostly by himself. For sure, he didn't look very steady, but he was standing. Norm looked concerned but not overly worried. After taking several deep breaths, which seemed to steady his balance, Jake reached for her hand.

"Mo'at, with your permission I would like to address the people of the _Omatikaya_," Jake stated, nodding his head in her direction while his grip on Neytiri's hand tightened.

"You do not need my permission _Toruk Macto_, but you have it, and my blessings," Mo'at replied, gesturing towards the people with a sweep of her arm.

After turning to face the People, Jake stood silently for several seconds while he gathered his thoughts. Neytiri, looking questioningly into Jake's face, was just beginning to wonder if he was going to speak at all just as Jake did so.

"People of the _Omatikaya_," Jake began, his strong voice carrying easily to the back of the hollow's outer wall. "I stand before you as Na'vi, truly for the first time. I am no longer one spirit with two bodies. Eywa has blessed me by allowing my spirit to exist in this body that now stands before you. My human body no longer lives. All that was in it is now in this body, both the good and the bad. Most Sky People have both good and bad inside of them. One usually wins out over the other to determine what kind of person they will be. I must tell you in all honesty that I sensed that Eywa was reluctant to allow my spirit to return to this body."

A collective intake of breath could be felt at his last statement. He could see disbelief on many of their faces. Neytiri's grip had tightened and she was staring at him intently. He could not read what she was feeling. He only knew that he had to say what was on his mind and in his heart. Turning back to the people he continued.

"Since I am here, I can only assume that Eywa felt the good out weighs the bad."

"How can _Toruk Macto_ be bad for the people of the _Omatikaya_?" a young female warrior called out. Her outburst seemed to resonate with most of the people, especially the younger ones he noted.

"The sense I felt from Eywa, as feelings are the only way she communicated with me, was that she was worried that my 'human values' could affect my 'Na'vi values' in a way that would be harmful to all the Na'vi. Before the battle with the Sky People, I promised Eywa that I would stand and fight for all the Na'vi people, all life that she protects. I asked for Eywa's help as I was unsure if we could be victorious on our own. As it turned out, we did need her help. All of Eywa's creatures were needed to defeat the Sky People and banish them from our world."

"_Toruk Macto_ did not defeat the Sky People, Eywa did."

Jake made this last statement with the same fierce proclamation he had used when rallying the people to fight the Sky People after Hometree had been destroyed and he had become _Toruk Macto_. It was obvious that many of the _Omatikaya_ did not agree with this, including Neytiri, but to challenge the will of Eywa was unthinkable. Belief in the power of _Toruk Macto_ was bested only by Eywa herself. _Toruk Macto_ was standing before the _Omatikaya_, vibrant and larger than life, telling them that he was not responsible for their victory, Eywa was. In the days since the victory over the Sky People all of the Na'vi had reveled in their mighty _Toruk Macto's_ victory and their part in it. Stories, some not quite mindful of the exact truth, were already being told around the fires late at night. Jake's statement giving Eywa the lion's share of the credit was creating a great deal of conflict with those seated before him.

No one was more conflicted by Jake's proclamation than Neytiri. Any warrior that could become _Toruk Macto_ was the mightiest of Na'vi. Even if Jake was not her life-mate, she would argue that the credit for victory be given to him. She was on the verge of disputing his statement when she realized this would do her people more harm than good. Through the considerable insight she had inherited from her mother she suddenly understood where her Jake was going with this. She was beginning to understand his ways of thinking. And even though she appreciated his devious plan, he wasn't going to get away with it.

"_Toruk Macto_ speaks truth from his heart," Neytiri stated, fierce pride in her voice. "All of Eywa's creatures were necessary to defeat the Sky People. But without a leader, we could not have been victorious. _Toruk Macto_ was the leader we needed in war. Now that war is past who among us wants _Toruk Macto_ to be leader of the _Omatikaya_?" she finished strongly, sweeping he gaze across the assembled clan members.

Neytiri's last statement had caught Jake completely off guard. Before he had a chance to respond, the chant of '_Olo'eyktan, Olo'eyktan…_' began to rise from the people. One look at her face told him that she had guessed his strategy to have the _Omatikaya_ looking elsewhere for a leader that wasn't him. Mo'at was wearing her stone mask. At the moment he wasn't going to get any help from her. Falling back to 'Plan B', Jake waited for the clan to settle before continuing to speak. He fervently hoped that 'Plan B' would work as 'Plan C' was to go sneaking off into the forest, which he very much doubted would work either.

"My Brothers, my Sisters, I am honored and humbled that many of you want me to be _Olo'eyktan,_" Jake stated firmly, sweeping his gaze over all of those assembled. "If not for the Sky People, Tsu'tey—long may he be remembered—would be your _Olo'eyktan._ I was not born Na'vi. I have only been _Omatikaya_ for a short time. I still have trouble with your…our language. I am woefully ignorant of most of our customs and certainly of our rich history. Before I can accept the responsibility, honor and burden of _Olo'eyktan_ I must learn to be truly Na'vi."

"This you must teach me before I could be worthy of your trust," Jake finished softly to the total silence surrounding him.

When Jake's gaze turned back to Neytiri he expected to see irritation or frustration on her face. Instead she was looking at him appraisingly. He had seen this look a couple of times before. He just had not figured out what it meant. He wasn't sure if he would completely figure her out in his lifetime.

Mo'at, sensing that Neytiri was about speak, quickly stepped forward and began to address her people.

"Our brother Jakesully speaks the truth," Mo'at began. "Even though he would disagree, our brother is already wise. Jakesully is newest member of _Omatikaya_, and he has much yet to learn. Also, not everyone is in agreement that _Toruk Macto_ should be our new _Olo'eyktan_. We have tradition for dealing with this situation. The Council of Elders will meet to determine how to proceed in selecting the next _Olo'eyktan_. It is the duty of all of us to instruct Jakesully in the ways and history of the _Omatikaya_. If he can learn to the satisfaction of the Council, and his own personal ideals, then Jakesully will be considered for _Olo'eyktan_."

"Sleep now, for tomorrow we must begin the search for a new home," Mo'at concluded. Without looking at anyone she left the dais.

For the first time Jake gazed down at his human body. The shock of seeing it just lying there, so small and pathetic, almost dropped him to his knees. Both Norm and Neytiri sensed his distress. Norm moved to block his view of his lifeless human remains while Neytiri moved closer to support him if need be.

"Jake, let me see to your…let me take care of '_The Previous Vessel of Your Spirit_', Norm said in fluent Na'vi. "I will see to it that a proper burial place is found. Somewhere near Grace, I think. I'm sure she would like that…Damn, I wish she could have been here to see you ride _Toruk_. I'm not sure if you knew just how much faith and hope she placed in you. You were her last hope for saving the Na'vi from Selfridge and the RDA. From moron to savior, that's quite the transformation."

"Norm, mother will be more than willing to help you," Neytiri said, placing a hand gently on his arm. She wanted to distract Jake from his human body. She had seen the anguish and distress in his eyes when he had looked down and seen it lying there.

"After I'm finished I am going to find someplace safe for this avatar," Norm added, addressing Jake directly. "I need to get back to the others at Hell's Gate. They need to know that the transfer worked. Remember, even though you are no longer driver and avatar, you are still our leader as well."

"Swell, just what I need. A bunch of science freaks looking for me to tell them what to do," Jake replied, the humor behind the sarcasm plainly visible.

"I wouldn't state it quite that way," Norm added. "Mostly we will take care of ourselves. When we will really need you is when the next ship from Earth shows up. That's when things will get really dicey."

"Come back in the morning if you can. We need to start figuring out where we all go from here," Jake replied, clasping Norm's arm firmly before releasing it as he watched Norm walk away.

Neytiri sensed that Jake was looking back to what had brought him here. Even though his body was standing next to her, his mind was elsewhere. It gave her an uncomfortable feeling that she could not shake off.

"Can you walk?" she asked him after almost a minute of total silence had passed since Norm had taken his human body away.

"Yes, most of my control seems to have returned. Not that I feel like jumping on a banshee just yet," Jake answered solemnly, after bringing himself back to the present and focusing his attention on her.

"I'm sure you will be doing just that before long," she added encouragingly, her eyes smiling as she patted his cheek affectionately.

"Why did you try to stop me from convincing our people that I should not be _Olo'eyktan_?" Jake asked, taking both of her hands in his.

"Because you should be…because you are _Olo'eyktan_. Only morons do not see this," Neytiri shot back, while trying unsuccessfully to free her hands from his.

"You know that I spoke the truth when I said I don't have the knowledge or experience to be clan leader," he countered, holding her hands firmly until she calmed herself.

"Yes, that is truth. But knowledge and experience are learned as one lives their life," she added earnestly as she locked her eyes on his. "What cannot be learned, no matter how long you live, is to have the spirit of a leader. I told you when we first met that you had a strong heart, no fear. These are the qualities that the _Omatikaya_ need now from their _Olo'eyktan_. Everything else you will learn."

"Jake, you will not be alone. I will be at your side," Neytiri finished softly.

"I know you will, but I'm not sure that will be enough. I got the distinct impression that Eywa would be happier if someone else became _Olo'eyktan_."

"This is stupid," Neytiri spit out, finally yanking her hands free with a forceful jerk. "You stupid if you believe that."

Neytiri was so frustrated that she wanted to slap Jake on the side of his head until his eyes rolled. She almost did so before she noticed the anguish in his eyes. The almost complete lack of visible spots on his face told her that he was indeed suffering, inside where the hurt was the deepest. Something had changed. He was not the same as when he was of two bodies. Suddenly she was struck with irrational fear that Eywa had really changed him. He was not just being difficult. If he did not want to be _Olo'eyktan_, perhaps part of the reason was that he no longer wanted her as a life-mate. That he did not love her. She had kind of tricked him into it, hadn't she? She knew she was being ridiculous, but she could not keep the thought that he might no longer love her from springing into her head and past her lips before she could squash the idea.

"You no longer want to love me?" Neytiri chocked on the words, quickly looking away from his eyes, desperately afraid of what she might see in them. If he didn't she knew her heart would shatter.

"Now you are the one being stupid." Lifting her chin so they were locked eye-to-eye, Jake's next words were a balm that soothed her tender heart.

"Neytiri, I love you more than life itself. I love all that you are, all that you will ever be. As long as my heart beats, it will beat for you."

Gently cupping her face in both of his hands he touched his lips to hers. Pleasure poured through her like warm rain washing over her skin. She could actually feel herself glowing. He moved his lips to touch each cheek and finally her forehead. When she went lax, almost melting against him, he gathered her close, their arms encircling each other.

"There is so much we don't know about each other," Jake whispered in her ear. "I hope that I never know everything about you. That way, each day I will have something new and exciting to look forward to. A life-time of getting to know you is exactly what I want."

"Yes, that is what I too want," Neytiri replied after she drew back so that she could look at his face. His eyes were so intense. When he looked at her, into her, she felt like she was the only other living soul in the world. At this moment she wanted nothing more than to go anyplace they could be alone. Regretfully, she knew that now was not the time for intimacy and loving. There would be time for them soon enough.

"I need to speak with mother…alone if you don't mind?" Neytiri said gently. "Go, get something to eat. I will join you after I have spoken with her."

"Now that you mention it, I could do with some food," Jake replied cheerfully, rubbing a hand across his belly. "Don't fight with your mother," he added over his shoulder as he released her and headed slowly in the direction of the gathering area.

[xxxxx]

Neytiri found her mother sitting well away from everyone else around the far side of the Mother Tree. There was no sign of Norm, so Neytiri figured Jake's body had been properly laid to rest with Eywa. Mo'at made no effort to speak as Neytiri sat down beside her. For several minutes both mother and daughter sat in total silence. Mo'at knew her daughter very well. She knew Neytiri's patience was short lived. Something both of them would have to work on over the coming seasons. As she predicted, Neytiri's patience caved after a mere five minutes.

"Why did you call for the Council of Elders?" Neytiri asked impatiently. "Jake is the only one who should lead the _Omatikaya_. No one else will challenge the right of _Toruk Macto_ to be _Olo'eyktan_," she added defiantly.

"You are partly correct," her mother began. "Jakesully is the only one of our people who can claim the right to be _Olo'eyktan_ without the clan being divided over loyalties to those that would be put forward to assume the role of our leader. I fear that with the death of your father and Tsu'tey coming at almost the same time, the clan will be unable to pick a new leader, other than Jakesully, that will not permanently split the _Omatikaya_. The clan needs a new leader, now more than it ever has in my span of life."

"Wait, I am not finished," her mother interjected, raising her hand as Neytiri started to speak. "Jakesully will be the next _Olo'eyktan_. I will accept nothing less from him. It is a duty he must not be allowed to avoid out of a false sense of regret, guilt or a perceived inability to lead except as a warrior. Before that can happen, your life-mate must see himself worthy in his own eyes. He must get past his feelings of guilt for what happened at Hometree. I am not suggesting that he become calloused or immune to the terrible suffering the _Omatikaya_ have experienced at the hands of the Sky People. Far too many innocents have suffered."

"Jakesully must see in his mind that he is now _Omatikaya_, and not a traitor to the Sky People. He is now of one body, but his spirit is still divided. This he must face alone. In many ways his spirit has always been _Omatikaya_. It just needed to find its way home. He needs to be able to carry the burden that goes with being _Olo'eyktan_ and not be crushed by its terrible weight. Your father was exceptionally capable. I like to think that Tsu'tey would also have been a great leader. With his dying breath, Tsu'tey passed what would have been rightfully his to Jakesully. This bond of warrior to warrior I will use to block any or all that oppose Jakesully as our next _Olo'eyktan_."

Neytiri was silent for several minutes as she absorbed the full meaning of what her mother had just said. Knowing that her mother usually accomplished what she set out to do did a great deal to alleviate a sense of guilt that had been dancing in the deeper shadows of her mind since she and Jake had mated before Eywa.

Mo'at sat quietly as her daughter wrestled with her own conscience. Neytiri had always been impulsive, which sometimes placed her in difficult situations. Sharp pain sliced without warning as the sudden image of Sylwanin filled Mo'at with almost unbearable regret and longing. Neytiri's older sister's impulsiveness had cost her, and several other young Na'vi, their lives. Forcing the image away, Mo'at brought her thoughts back to her youngest daughter.

Neytiri's loyalty and duty to her people had never been in doubt, or at least it had seemed so. Perhaps she should have delegated someone other than Neytiri to teach Jakesully the ways of the _Omatikaya_. Both she and Ey'tu'kan had seen the bond growing between Neytiri and Jakesully. They had underestimated the speed at which the bond was growing or its direction. Incorrectly assuming there was time enough to nudge Neytiri back in Tsu'tey's direction. Now that Tsu'tey was dead, and with her confidence that she would ensure that Jakesully was the next _Olo'eyktan_, the grave problem caused by Neytiri's impulsiveness and strong will was no longer going to be an issue. Still, Mo'at was more than a little curious as to how Neytiri and Jakesully were able recognize each other as life-mates so quickly. There was no denying the fact that Jakesully had a powerful spirit, but they were both very young for such an important decision.

"I have a question that you may choose not to answer," Mo'at began, "but as your mother I will ask it anyway. Was Jakesully aware that you could no longer be _Tashik_ if the two of you became life-mates?"

"No, I did not tell him what I was giving up," Neytiri answered after a brief hesitation. "I knew in my heart that I would always love Jake. To become life-mate with Tsu'tey so that I would become _Tashik_ would be wrong for all of us. I liked Tsu'tey and respected him, but I did not love him. I never felt for him what I feel for Jake. For some time I have been very troubled that I must become life-mate with someone not of my choosing so that I could be _Tashik_ and he could be _Olo'eyktan_. I'm not sure what I would have done if Jake had not come to us and captured my heart. I hope I would have had the courage to do what was best."

"I am glad that Jakesully did not know what you were willing to throw away…no sacrifice," Mo'at replied, looking intently at her daughter's face. "I feel better knowing that he did not fully understand our custom that _Tashik_ and _Olo'eyktan_ must be life-mates. I am surprised that he recognized you as the one and only person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with after such a short time. Perhaps this is the way it is with Sky People."

"We chose each other, for now and for all life," Neytiri answered simply, deciding her mother would not understand if she told her that she did not tell Jake that mating was for whole of life until after they had mated before Eywa. Since Jake hadn't objected to her deception, and was less likely to mention it, she let it go at that.

"Come, let us get something to eat," Neytiri added when her mother did not inquire further about their choosing. "It has been a long day for all of us, especially Jake."

[xxxxx]

Jake was feeling quite limber by the time he reached the gathering area that had been hastily setup under one of the stone arches but still within sight of the Well of Souls. About 50 of the clan were seated here and there in small groups. He assumed they were mostly families, as they were within easy talking distance of each other. Some of the younger children were playing nearby, obviously enjoying themselves from the sounds of their laughter. He was thankful that their faces did not look as grave as the older clan members. The naked fear and bewilderment that he had seen in those young faces only days before was mostly gone. Until you looked closer. There was something in their eyes that showed they were still haunted by all that had happened to them. He didn't have to wonder why. He still felt haunted by the destruction of Hometree every time he closed his eyes.

"_Toruk Macto_ must eat." A young woman who had watched him walk into the small gathering area placed a large leaf filled with food into his hands, smiling warmly before returning to the cooking fire.

He felt a little awkward as he looked around at the other clan members for a place to sit. Everyone was staring in his direction, which left him feeling a bit uneasy. Quickly he picked out a spot between two of the larger groups, sat and began to eat his meal. While he was eating, conversation within the groups returned to normal around him. As soon as he finished eating, several young boys materialized in front of him and began asking questions. He guessed they ranged in age from six to about twelve. Their excitement was evident on their eager faces and in their eyes.

"What was it like to ride the mighty _Toruk_?" asked one of the older boys, managing to finally over talk the younger ones.

"The first time was very scary," he answered gravely. "I was afraid that he would flick me off and eat me. Lucky for me, he didn't do that."

Once he began to talk, the boys fell silent and sat down in front of him, their eyes wide with anticipation and awe. Being in the presence of _Toruk Macto_, speaking with him, made the boys feel older, more important.

"After I got past being scared half to death, it was like being the wind. I could go as fast and as high as I wanted. Through _tsahaylu_ I was able to feel the full power of _Toruk_. He is indeed mighty and without fear. After we got used to each other, which didn't take as long as I expected, I too, felt almost invincible."

A young girl, who looked to be about four or five years of age, walked up to him while he was speaking to the boys, ducked beneath his arms, and wormed her way onto his lap without uttering a single word. Nothing quite like this had ever happened to him before. No human child had ever come up to him like this. At first he thought some adult would come and take the child away. Curiously, from the moment she sat down he felt as though she belonged there, but couldn't for the life of him figure out why. Since none of the adults seemed to think anything was wrong or came to take her away, he continued to speak to the boys.

"Flying with _Toruk_ is very different from flying with an _ikran_. The bond is totally different for one thing. With your banshee you are equal partners; with _Toruk_ you know who is really in control. A banshee is better for most kinds of hunting as they are more maneuverable and less noticeable by your prey. Nothing fails to notice _Toruk_ and live long."

While Jake was trying to explain the subtle and not so subtle differences between _Toruk_ and a mountain banshee to the boys, he felt the child's tail curl lightly, possessively around his waist as she leaned back against his chest. Her head rested just under his collarbone. She was creating an intricate braid from three different colored vines. She also had a small bundle of flowers in her lap that she was weaving into the braid. When it became obvious to the child that Jake had stopped talking she looked up into his face. Her eyes were luminous and inquiring, yet almost shy beneath long lashes. A warm knowing smile curved her lips ever so slightly. When she returned to working on her braid, he resumed talking to the boys.

"Unlike _ikran_, _Toruk_ will not stay with me for the whole of his life. He comes to me only in times of our greatest need. He needs to be free, to come and go as he pleases. It is possible that I will never ride with him again in my life-time. In my heart I hope that we will not need him to return. Now that the Sky People are gone I pray that we can spend all of our time rebuilding our lives and our home. We have much work to do."

He felt the child's head turn against his chest. Glancing down he noticed she was looking off towards the Well of Souls. Following her gaze he saw Neytiri and Mo'at step into the light cast by the fire which had grown brighter as the twilight had completely faded. When Neytiri's eyes locked with his own he felt his heart speed up. It still amazed him that she had selected him for her life-mate. He hoped he would never get over it.

Neytiri's attention had been focused on her mother as they entered the gathering area. It was not until they were about ten paces from where Jake sat that she noticed him. The image of him sitting serenely, with a small girl child in his lap, looking at her with eyes for her and her alone, stopped Neytiri in her tracks. Feelings of unbearable tenderness swamped her. She was no stranger to strong emotion. Mostly the emotions she dealt with were competitive or aggressive in nature. This softer kind of emotion she didn't have a clue as to how to deal with. She did not break eye contact with him until Mo'at shoved some food under her nose.

"Go, sit with your mate, eat," her mother ordered as she walked over to sit with one of the larger groups.

On legs that weren't entirely steady Neytiri moved to where Jake was sitting and sat down beside him.

"Hello, Ralu. What are you making?" she would have completely forgotten about the food in her hands if her stomach had not started to grumble rather loudly.

"A necklace for Ansita," Ralu replied, pressing her back more firmly, possessively against Jake's chest. "It is to show _irayo_ for all that she has done for me."

"It is very pretty. I'm sure she will be most pleased to receive this gift from you," she responded after swallowing food she didn't really want but her body needed in any case.

As several of the adults began to collect their young ones, a slim teenage na'vi female approached Jake and Neytiri. Jake noticed that she seemed a bit nervous, almost hesitant.

"Come Ralu, it is time for sleeping," the girl began. "I see you," she said after shifting her attention to Neytiri.

"I see you, Ansita," Neytiri replied in kind. "Jake, this is Ralu's cousin Ansita."

After a brief hesitation over how to address the young girl, Jake decided he couldn't go wrong with the standard. "I see you."

When Ansita seemed to be at a loss for words he felt as if he had made a mistake with his greeting. Trying to set the girl at ease he smiled warmly up at her. The luminescent spots on her face flashed brilliantly. Without a word she turned and walked away calling for Ralu to follow.

"Thank you for letting me sit with you," Ralu said as she stood and faced him. He had started to wonder if the child was so traumatized that she couldn't speak at all.

Standing, her eyes were level with Jake's. He sensed that she was hesitant to leave. Reaching out, he took one of the flowers that she had not yet worked into the braid she was making and threaded it into her hair.

"There, much prettier," he added giving her partially braided hair a playful tug.

Almost before Jake could blink, Ralu threw her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely with all the might her young arms could manage. He was just about to put an arm around her when she released him and bolted off after her cousin.

Clueless, he looked helplessly at Neytiri. She was looking at him in that half-stunned, half-amazed expression she used when he did something unexpected.

"Well, you seem to be making quite the impression on young girls tonight," she said, a smirk escaping through the serious face she was giving him. "Perhaps you should go easy with that smile. We don't want any young females falling out of their nests or waking in things, such as trees."

"Now you are just teasing me," he replied easily.

"A little, perhaps. But by Ansita's reaction I think we had better play it safe. I will keep all of you smiles for myself."

"Where are Ralu's parents," he asked, his gut knotting in anticipation of the answer Neytiri would give him.

"They are with Eywa. Her mother died at Hometree and her father was killed in battle." Heartbreak was clearly written on her face and in her voice. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. There had never been a time of so much sorrow. She wasn't sure how she was going to get through this time of terrible, unending grief. She felt as though she would never truly laugh again.

"How many children were orphaned?" Jake asked as he reached for her hand.

"At least forty that we know for certain. Not all clan members have been accounted for."

"Jesus, that really sucks," he muttered to himself in English.

"If by that you mean what has happened is horrible, then I agree with you," she replied in English, intertwining her three fingers with his four. It never ceased to amaze her how well their hands fit together.

A dozen or so clan members moved to sit in a half circle in front of Jake and Neytiri. Once all were seated an old male that Jake had spoken to a few times address him.

"_Toruk Macto_, Will the Sky People return?"

From the intense look on all of the faces before him Jake new that he had to tell them the complete and total truth. To do anything less would be unworthy, there had been enough deception. He had resigned himself to telling the truth to any question put to him. He prayed that certain questions would never be asked. But this question he had fully been expecting.

"Yes, they will." Jake waited a beat before continuing to speak.

"Three of their giant star ships are already headed for Pandora…the Sky People's name for our world," he added when some of those sitting before him seemed confused.

"These star ships left the Sky People's world before Hometree was attacked and destroyed. The first one will arrive in just over a year's time. The second will arrive a year after the first and the third a year after the second. How much the Sky People on these star ships will know about what has happened here we have no way of seeing. Unless the Sky People had already planned to send something other than the usual replacements and supplies we should not be facing any immediate threat from them."

"Do the Sky People have weapons on their ships that could be used to attack our people?" another warrior asked. Jake recognized him from their attack on Quaritch's armada of war birds.

"I really don't know, but I'm sure we can find out. Max, Norm or one of the other scientists that we allowed to stay should be able to tell us. I am certain that somewhere on the Sky People's base there is detailed information about everything and anything having to do with their star ships. Weapons would definitely be one of those pieces of information."

While Jake was answering the initial questions the rest of the adults joined the circle. Mo'at sat beside her daughter. Jake wasn't sure if this was part of the clan dynamics, but it didn't go unnoticed by most of those in front of him.

"We should have killed all the Sky People," a female warrior interrupted before he could continue. "To let Sky People live shows that Na'vi are weak."

Since it was a certainty that this woman had either lost immediate family or close relatives or friends to the Sky People's unprovoked attacks he could understand her feelings. His own heart had been filled with rage, intent on killing Quaritch for what he had done to the Na'vi.

"Yes, we could have slaughtered the defeated Sky People, just as they did to us at Hometree," he answered, sweeping his gaze across all those seated in front of him. He had felt this sentiment several times since the decision was made to return the human survivors to their home world. Most of the Na'vi did not feel this way, but a small vocal group did. He knew that he would have to deal with them, so he might as well start now.

"To have done so would have made us to be just like them," he continued, looking directly at the warrior who and voiced her opinion. "The single indisputable fact that we must accept is that the Sky People are going to come back. Buried beneath the ground, this world has a rock that is very valuable to humans that they are willing to kill for. Just as they have done so many times before. It is the key to their continued existence. More accurately, it is the key to the continued existence of the RDA."

He could tell by his audience's faces that they really didn't understand much of what he was saying. How could they? They had no knowledge of science or commerce, or anything that humans took for granted. He could just see himself trying to explain profits or shareholders. It was a small miracle that they seemed to get the basic idea of a star ship. What he was facing right this minute was a major part of the reason that he did not want to be clan leader. His frames of reference were all human. True, he was quickly learning to fully appreciate the world the Na'vi lived in, but he still approached it from his human perspective. Sighing inwardly, he tried to get his point across once again.

"The Sky People will keep coming back as long as they can get the rock buried beneath us. They can bring enough weapons with them to defeat us no matter how bravely we fight. I know we have already defeated them once, but that was mostly due to their arrogance. They didn't think the Na'vi were any match for them in battle. The Sky People may be stupid about a lot of things, but making the same mistake twice isn't usually one of them. We are going to have to convince the Sky People that it is too much effort to come here for the rock they desire. Or we are going to have to let them take rock from areas of our choosing."

"If Sky People return we will kill them all," the angry young warrior proclaimed. "If they did not learn from their first defeat, then we will keep defeating them until they do learn. Then they will not come here anymore."

"There are many more Sky People than Na'vi. They have much more powerful weapons. Our single biggest advantage is that it takes years to get here from Earth and it is very, very costly. Plus, not all Sky People are bad. Many will be very upset over what was done to us. The Sky People will argue with themselves. Not having killed all the Sky People who came here will send a message that we are not the ones who are savages. RDA is the savage. It knows very little of our world. We must use all of this to our best advantage. For if it comes to war, then we will lose. We will most certainly perish along with Eywa."

He let his last statement hang in the air for his audience to absorb. The young warrior that had been very vocal still looked angry, but she seemed to be considering his words. The others appeared to be taking his words with varying levels of awareness.

"Jake, this is going to take time for the people to understand," Neytiri said softly in English. "Do not be angry if they do not understand everything you are trying to tell them."

"I'm not angry, just a little frustrated," he answered quietly, also in English. "My biggest worry is that the fierce pride of the _Omatikaya_ will lead them to think they can win a war with the Sky People."

"Many already know this will never happen. We will convince the others."

"The trick will be to do so without damaging their pride," he added, a note of sadness in his voice.

"_Toruk Macto_, could you tell us what you experienced when you passed through the Eye of Eywa?" one of the elder women asked. "Normally we would not ask such a personal question, but these are not normal times."

"Please call me Jake, or Jakesully. _Toruk Macto_ seems just a little formal," he answered good naturedly.

"I don't mind describing what it was like to pass through the Eye of Eywa and return. It was all a sense of feeling, of hearing, of seeing. I did not talk to Eywa, or she to me. As you know, Eywa is not a person, not a single being that has shape or form. She is everything that lives or has lived. She is all of us. Eywa caused me to feel all that she is, to hear the voices of all our ancestors and recently departed spirits, to see the world as it was in the beginning, through all that has passed up until today. In some sense Eywa was trying to show my human born spirit what it truly means to be Na'vi."

"To me the process seemed to take years," he continued when no one interrupted him. "I think Eywa was gaging my emotional reaction to what she was making me feel. Several times I got the impression that my responses were not to her liking. Maybe that is why it seemed to take so long before she allowed my spirit to enter this body and awaken. While it was not a physically painful experience, it was rather unpleasant at times and not an experience I would care to go through a second time."

"I'm not sure what else I can tell you. The sensations faded quickly once my spirit was in this body," he concluded, looking at the clan members seated before him.

"Thank you _Toruk_…Jakesully," said the woman who had asked the question.

"If I remember anything more specific I will be happy to pass it along to any who are interested," he added casually.

Once the discussion for the evening was finished, everyone rose to go to where they slept. No one spoke, they just wandered off. Jake wasn't sure how the group collectively decided to end the day without someone voicing the thought. Just one more thing he needed to learn.

[xxxxx]

Jake stood when Neytiri did. She took his hand and led him to a small sleeping area not far from where most of the others were bedding down for the night. A pair of mats was rolled out on the ground next to each other. In silence they removed their knives and body adornments. As if there was no need to speak, they lay down facing each and gazed into each other's eyes. When their bio-luminescent spots began to come alive, rippling with varying intensity, Neytiri pressed herself against Jake's chest, suddenly clinging to him with a fierceness that surprised him. When her body began to shake and he felt Neytiri's tears drip onto his chest he wrapped his arms around her and pressed his cheek to hers. As this didn't seem to helping, he began to slowly caress her back and shoulders while touching his lips to different spots on her face. When she stopped shaking, he drew back enough so the he could tip her chin up and look at her face.

"Why are you so sad?" he asked, gently tracing her cheek with the tips of his fingers. He didn't know what to do. He had seen Neytiri in many moods, but nothing like this. She looked almost devastated. He felt his own heart aching for her.

"I am not sad, I am happy," she blubbered, a fresh flood of tears streaming down her cheeks. Weakly, without much heat, she punched him in the chest.

"Well, you sure fooled me," he answered lightly, as he searched her whole face with his eyes trying to understand what had brought on this surge of obviously painful emotion.

"Neytiri, if you are happy, then why are you crying?" he asked, more than a little confused. What he saw in her eyes, on her face, was the depthless love that he felt for her reflected back at him through her eyes. Suddenly, he knew how to reach through to her.

"I…see…you," he stated softly, putting his heart into each distinct word.

"I see you," she replied after blinking away the remaining tears that had welled up in her eyes. For several minutes, during which the outside world ceased to be, they shared the love that they felt for each other through the endless expressions in their eyes.

"Jake, I spoke truly when I said I am happy," she began. "I fully expected to be sleeping alone tonight. I was afraid that you would not be able to pass through the Eye of Eywa. Even though your human body was not injured in the same way as Grace's, I was afraid you would not have the strength to make the journey. I should have had more faith in you. Twice I have lost faith, you deserve better than that. Please forgive me."

"There is nothing you need to be forgiven for. At Hometree you felt betrayed by me, and rightly so. In many ways I did betray you and your people. I should have told you the truth in the beginning. As far as passing through the Eye of Eywa, since it has never happened before, how could anyone know if I would be able to do so."

"I was so scared when I felt your spirit leave your human body. I knew it would take time to pass through Eywa, but it seemed to take forever. All I could think about was what my life would be like without you. Not being able to run, and hunt, and fly with you. Not seeing your smile, not being held close as we are now. Not sharing _tsahaylu_, not mating…"

In a smooth fluid movement, she reached behind her back and drew her queue forward, offering it, and herself, to him. Replying in kind, he brought his queue forward and watched in fascination and anticipation as the tendrils slowly, sinuously interwove. Through his eyes he saw her pupils grow huge, the golden iris barely a thing ring. Through her eyes he saw his eyes do the same. It was like being in two bodies at the same time, and having two spirits in one body. When she touched her lips to his he could not only feel the sensation on his own, but her lips as well. Every pleasure was doubled, every feeling so intense it was almost too much to bear. As his hands roamed over her body he felt the thrill of discovery in his fingertips and the pleasure of contact she felt at his touch. Pleasure built, slowly but steadily growing into desire that could only be satisfied by physical as well as spiritual union.

[xxxxx]

Their mutual passion spent, Jake caressed Neytiri's back as she lay curled against him, her head resting comfortably on his chest. Through an opening in the partly cloudy night sky he could see Polyphemus, her rotating bands clearly visible. Two of her smaller moons were also visible. If ever he needed a reminder of just how much had changed, all he had to do was look up, or at his own reflection. Never in his life, his former life, did he ever imagine a life as rich and full as the one he had now. And surprise, it came with a loving, caring woman to complete it. 'Not much else to ask for,' he thought to himself as he felt Neytiri's relaxed, rhythmic breathing. Closing his eyes, he followed his life-mate into sleep.

[xxxxx]

Jake awoke with the sensation of having both of his arms pinned down. Focusing, he saw Neytiri hadn't moved. She was still curled up beside him, his left arm holding her close. Turning his head to the right he was startled to see a small child tucked closely, protectively against his other side. Her right hand was resting lightly on his chest, her queue safely protected between them. He thought she looked familiar, but his sleep had been troubled with random flashes of passing through the Eye of Eywa, leaving him a little disoriented.

Neytiri sensed Jake's movement and confusion. Opening her eyes she found herself staring at the child he was intently looking at. She sensed something in him that she could not identify. It was a pleasant feeling, to be sure, just unknown. As her sleep clouded mind cleared, she quickly recognized the small girl snuggled protectively at his side. When she shifted, his attention turned back to her.

"We have a small visitor," Jake whispered.

"Yes we certainly do. How did she find us? More importantly, has she been missed and are there people out looking for her?"

"Who is she and what do we do now?" he asked his voice barely audible.

"It is Ralu, the young girl that was sitting in your lap earlier."

"Oh, right. I thought she looked familiar. My brain is just a bit fuzzy. In sleep I was reliving some of what happened with Eywa. Took a moment or two to get reoriented."

"I should go and see if she has been missed," Neytiri whispered, not wanting to wake the sleeping child.

Jake felt Ralu move against him as though she were trying to get closer. A pathetic whimper had both of them turning their focus back to the child. With a hard jerk of her muscles Ralu awoke, an anguished cry escaping. He felt her start to shake almost before her outburst ended.

"Place her between us, Neytiri said at the same time he was doing just that.

Rolling onto their sides they created a protective cocoon for Ralu. When Ralu continued to shake Neytiri pulled the child into her arms, stroking her head and back in soothing patterns. Looking past the frightened girl and into Jake's eyes she found the support and comfort she knew would always be there.

"She is but one of so many children that have lost their parents," she declared, both anguish and anger in her voice and on her face. "No one still alive can ever remember such terrible times."

"The best we can do is make sure they are looked after and kept safe," he answered, inwardly wondering if he would ever be at peace with himself over what the humans had done to the Na'vi.

"If I could I would tuck each and every one of those orphaned children right here between us. So that they are safe, and cared for and loved!" Jake easily recognized when warrior Neytiri took over. It was an interesting contrast from the soft, tender and giving Neytiri. He loved them both very much.

"Yes, I know," he answered. "Maybe we should start with just this one and see where that leads us. She has obviously selected us for care and protection. Not that I have a single clue how to care for a child, let alone a girl child."

"A boy child would be better?" Neytiri asked pointedly. From the tone of her voice he guessed where she was going with the question and cut her off before her volatile temper flashed.

"No, a child is a child. Having been a boy child once I have some idea of how they think. Girls, not so much. Perhaps this one here can teach me while we provide a home, a new family for her. If that would be acceptable to her aunt and uncle," he added, wondering just what is letting himself in for.

"Ralu's aunt and uncle have two of their own, both in their teens. We will speak with them in the morning. Also, mother must approve. As _Tashik_, she approves all matters such as this."

Ralu had finally settled in Neytiri's protective embrace. Once she was calm, past the fear from the terrible dreams of fire and choking smoke, she started to pay attention to what Neytiri and Jake were saying. Even though she missed her parents terribly, she felt comforted by Neytiri and Jake voices, their kind hearts. She was old enough to know that being the daughter, even if it was adopted, of _Tashik _and_ Olo'eyktan_ was probably going to have some advantages. The fact there could also be disadvantages didn't occur to her.

"Do you think you can go back to sleep?" Neytiri asked Ralu when she sensed that the child was listening.

"Yes, I think so," Ralu answered, trying to sound pitiful so Neytiri wouldn't send her back to sleep with Ansita.

"Then close your eyes. Do not dream." Neytiri released her tight grip so that the child could lie on her back between Jake and herself. She continued rubbing small patterns on Ralu's forehead until her eyes closed and she dropped off to sleep. Neytiri was not surprised to see one of Ralu's hands gripping Jake's.

"I will go and make sure no one is searching for Ralu," she said, once she was sure the child was sleeping soundly. "It will only take a few minutes," she added as she quickly got to her feet and disappeared from sight.

Looking at the small child sleeping peacefully beside him Jake felt even more complete than before. There was something about this small girl that made him want to nurture, as well as protect. It appeared to him that he had awaked Na'vi to discover more than just his life-mate. He had a child to go with her. From the looks of things, he and Neytiri could have a whole brood if they so desired. They just weren't going to have any biological children of their own. Hell, he wasn't even sure if Neytiri wanted babies of her own. The designers of his and the other avatar bodies had rendered them infertile. No procreating with the natives, he had overheard one of the scientists telling someone. Exactly when and how was he was going to bring this subject up? Right at the moment he and Neytiri would have their hands full just trying to relocate the clan and see to the wounded and orphaned.

True to her word, Neytiri returned quickly, carefully lowering herself to the sleeping mat without disturbing Ralu.

"She was not missed. I told her uncle that she would be spending the rest of the night with us. Thankfully no one was out searching for her. Everyone but the sentries are asleep."

"We should get some more sleep ourselves," he advised. It is going to be a very busy day.

"Yes, it will be all of that," Neytiri answered, smiling warmly at him over the small child sleeping between them.

Jake was asleep within minutes. Neytiri took considerably longer as she thought of how much her life had changed and how much more change was likely to come. It was decidedly unexpected that Jake took to children so easily. Just one more thing she had learned about him. Yes indeed, tomorrow would be a very busy day.

Exhaustion finally overcame her, and the three of them, a new family in the making before Eywa, slept in her infinite care and wisdom.

[xxxxxxxxxx]


	3. Chapter 2

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Chapter 2**

"Norm's coming out." Karen called out as she monitored the controls beside the pod containing his human body.

Karen Ripley was thirty-three years old and one hundred percent female. Her freckled face was framed in a short cap of auburn hair that just reached past her ears. Emerald green eyes peered out beneath thin eyebrows and long lashes. Unless she was hip deep in a problem her eyes were normally alight with life and good humor. She stood five-eight in bare feet, her body softly curved. Under the curves were muscles that she kept well-toned with regular, daily trips to the gym. Some nights her workouts were of an entirely different sort. Karen believed that life could be very short and should be lived fully each and every day.

"Back with us mere mortals," she said to Norm after she lifted the lid to his pod. Searching his face she was unable to judge what he was feeling. That meant the news could be either good or bad.

"Where is everyone?" Norm asked as he sat up and reflexively rolled his head and shoulders. Max was the only other person in the lab. Throwing Norm an off-hand wave as he walked out.

"Most are in the cafeteria playing cards. Roger whipped up a late night snack. Strawberry shortcake, I think."

Karen ran though the pod's shutdown routine, her mind on auto-pilot. Verifying that everything in the lab was as it should be she headed towards the door. "Come on, let's go see if it tastes as good as it sounds," she added, grabbing Norm by the hand and pulling him out of the lab.

Everyone but Gary Albright, their system's specialist, was gathered at the long table just outside the main door to the kitchen. For a room that was designed to feed two-hundred people at a sitting, the current inhabitants looked pitifully lost. Every head turned in their direction as Norm and Karen entered the room.

Without a word Norm walked over to the pass-through serving counter and helped himself to a large bowl of strawberry shortcake. Karen did likewise but with an admittedly smaller portion. Norm was relieved beyond words that Jake had successfully managed to transfer his consciousness…spirit…whatever a person chose to call it, into his avatar body. He would want to do the same someday. That he knew without the slightest doubt in his mind. The problem that had been nagging at him like an aching tooth was that if the other avatar drivers did the same then the eight remaining humans would be too small a group to survive, or at best keep their sanity. That was what the MacKinnon study hypothesized. A minimum of thirteen individuals were needed to form an autonomous subgroup, completely isolated from the main body. At fourteen members they should be able to function well enough to survive. The dynamics were better for an odd numbered group, which it would be if he and he alone went over to the Na'vi. Since most anything could happen before the next ISV arrived from Earth there wasn't any sense in dwelling on optimal group dynamics. Either they would survive, or they wouldn't.

After his shortcake was finished Norm brought his thoughts back to Jake as he prepared to address the group. Might as well see this as good news. Lord knew they had had enough bad news to last for a lifetime.

"Jake survived the transition," Norm said to the faces intently watching him. "Luckiest bastard that ever landed on this moon," he added good-naturedly.

"Did he have any problems? How does he look, sound?" Ron Campbell asked. Ron was first, last and always fretting over the condition of what he saw as his charges. Not that his charges always appreciated it. Even though Ron could be a 'pain in the ass' he was well liked and a valuable resource when it came to avatar/Na'vi physiology. Ron's sandy brown hair was pulled into a ponytail that made his face seem narrower that it was. His deep blue eyes were direct, always accessing.

"He looks damn good, considering," Norm replied. "He had a little motor trouble at first, but he quickly overcame his shakiness. With Mo'at's help I buried his human remains next to where Grace's bodies are buried. It's a shame she couldn't have been there to witness his rebirth. She would have been in seventh-heaven. Of course she would have insisted on capturing the whole event in holo-vid."

"Did he seem different?" Kyle Logan, one of the male avatar drivers asked. "Was his personality the same?"

"No, he was just Jake. It looks as though his personality came through intact. Although I can't be sure as we didn't spend much time together after the transfer."

"How did Neytiri hold up?" asked Judy McNeal, a female avatar driver and Kyle's constant bunk mate. It was a standing joke that Kyle and Judy spent more time in the sack, either as human or avatar, than they did out of it.

"It was rough for her in the beginning, but she came through just fine. Nothing throws Neytiri off her stride for long."

All eyes turned to the door as Gary Albright strode into the room. Gary's presence would be hard to miss in any normal human setting. At six-six and two-ten he was about as fine a specimen of human male that you would ever come across. His eternal boyish grin made him look ten years younger than the forty years of living he had under his belt. He had thick dark brown hair and eyes to match. Several days of unshaved stubble showed on his face but didn't detract one whit from his overall good looks.

"Hey, Roger! Shortcake's all gone," Gary called out when he reached the serving counter and found it empty.

"Saved you a bowl," Roger Polanski shoved his considerable bulk through the kitchen door to hand Gary one of the two oversized bowls he was carrying. "Kitchen's closed for the night," Roger added, addressing the others. "Make sure you rinse out your bowls. I ain't your mama." Without further comment he settled himself at the table next to where the others were seated.

"The alarm and surveillance systems are up and operational," Gary said to the group at large. "I think I have the patches correctly installed so that the alarms won't trip every time some critter flies over the compound. Anything that touches ground inside the perimeter will trigger it."

"Good, maybe I'll be able to get eight straight," Susan Blyth sighed, her eyes heavy from lack of sound sleep. "I haven't gotten a decent night's sleep since the others left for Earth." Up until the destruction of Hometree Susan wouldn't have been caught dead looking as disheveled as she did just this minute. Her long blond hair was either combed out or twisted into an elaborate braid when she was on duty working in the avatar med-lab. In the lab she was all business, but after hours she could be counted on to join in on most group activities.

"What time is it?" Zoe Fischer, their resident girl Friday and records keeper asked.

"It dark time," James 'Rocky' Rockwell responded sarcastically. "Who cares what hour it is? It's either light out or dark out. Night or day are the only two times Pandora knows."

Rocky was a habitual complainer, but he was a good pilot. The only one in the group that could fly the two remaining operational Samson VTOL's. Even though he was always complaining about something on Pandora, he had refused to leave on the Valkyrie shuttle. The fact that he had been in the infirmary when the attacks had taken place, plus his known disputes with Quaritch had convinced Jake that he should be allowed to stay on Pandora. Besides, he was the only person with flight experience that the others in the group trusted.

"It seems a lot longer than two days since the Venture Star left orbit," Susan stated wistfully as she turned to stare at the shuttered windows.

"Are the transmitters still functioning?" Norm asked Gary when the room fell into prolonged silence.

"Yes, both the SOL and Superluminal units are operating normally. Of course the signal from the SOL won't reach Earth for four and a half years. At least it will beat the Venture Star by a year and a half. Selfridge will have a hell of a time trying to explain the video of Hometree being destroyed and the other video logs taken from avatar recordings. It's probably going to save our collective ass's, and cook Selfridge's having those video logs from all the time you drivers spent in your avatars."

"Turned out to be usefully for a lot more than just documenting the science," Max added. "Thankfully they were stored in the lab computers and not in the main operational data banks. I'm sure Selfridge or Quaritch would have wiped them if they had taken the time to know that they existed in the first place."

"How much of the message we're sending via the Superluminal unit has Earth received?" Abby Foster, the other female avatar driver asked.

"Not much, but enough to get their attention," Gary answered. "As I explained before, we can send twelve characters of information per day in real-time back to Earth. By today's technology standards, Superluminal is slower than smoke-signals. Watching grass grow is more rewarding. The only thing going for it is that it can reach across light-years almost instantaneously. As you may or may not remember, the message we decided to send was; 'HUMNS EVCTD-STP SND ISV-WLL RFUL IN RT-NO OTH-VID SOL IN RT-S/NAVI'. As this message is sixty-six characters long it will take six days for Earth to receive all of it. RDA head-quarters should have the first two parts by now. I expect we will receive some sort of reply by end of day tomorrow."

"Will the ISV's already in route be able to receive what we are sending to Earth?" Abby asked, a frown creasing her pixyish face. Her jet black, waist length hair was in sharp contrast to her light green eyes. She was very slim, the smallest of the avatar drivers.

"Yes they will. Plus they will be able to receive RDA's reply," Gary replied. "Superluminal has only one channel. Anyone with a receiver, and a lot of patience, can receive any signal transmitted. Normally the RDA uses encrypted messages for that reason. If anyone else on earth is listening to our transmissions, they will have a pretty good idea of what has been going on here. Plus it will alert them to watch for the SOL video."

"Yeah, 'shit-outa-luck', or at least let's hope that's what it will mean for the RDA," Kyle added jokingly, referring to the Speed of Light commutations transmission unit.

"As long as it isn't us who are 'SOL'," Judy amended.

"Back to the next ISV due to arrive," Abby interrupted. "By the time they arrive we will have been able to transmit over four thousand characters. More than enough to spell out exactly what happened here, right?"

"Yes it will," Gary answered. "Remember, they will start receiving our SOL video in about six months. By the time they arrive they will have seen everything we are sending back to Earth. Unless they think we fabricated the video and it is just some elaborate hoax, they should be receptive to talking instead of just demanding. Since we have the fuel they need for their anti-matter engines to make the return trip home we should be in a pretty good bargaining position."

"And so begins the game of 'cat and mouse'," Rocky added in the silence following Gary's last statement. "The only question is; who's the cat and who's the mouse?"

"You got that right," Karen added.

"How's our power and consumables looking?" John Claymore, one of the male avatar drivers asked.

"Both are looking very good," Gary answered, looking suddenly more optimistic. The geo-thermal unit that provides power should easily last another century with normal maintenance. A full complement of spare parts is stored in the supply warehouse. The RDA made sure all essential systems had the necessary spare parts. Remember, we are only using less than five percent of what is normally used in full operation. The unobtanium refinery and mining operations used more than half of the power the geo-thermal units generated. As for other essential consumables we have far more than we will use."

"Physical necessities are not going to be our problem, are they?" Karen asked.

"No. As I see it, our biggest problem is going to be developing some sort of daily routine that will keep us sane," Max answered soberly.

"There will be many things that need to be done, but that doesn't give us a purpose," Max continued. "We are also going to need some form of structure. I have been giving this some thought over the past couple of days. I would like to propose that we select a 'supervisor' to make command decisions. This person would hold the position for three months and then we would select someone else for the next three months. There are bound to be disputes and we need some way of handling them, short of pistols at ten paces. We don't have to decide tonight. Just think about it."

"I hadn't thought about it, but you're right," Norm said, gazing at the others to see how Max's suggestion was being taken. Everyone appeared to taking it seriously. He didn't see any outright disagreement on anyone's face. "If no one objects, we can discuss it tomorrow. Right now I need some sack time. It's been a long day."

When no one objected to his suggestion, Norm rose from the table to carry his dirty dish to the kitchen. No one deliberately pissed off Roger, as he kept them all well fed. While he was washing his dish, Karen came up behind him with her own, which she simply handed to him.

"Do you want to sleep alone?" she asked after he set both bowls in the drying rack.

"No, not really," Norm answered, holding out his hand.

"That's fortunate, as I don't either," Karen replied taking Norm's hand in hers. "Your place, or mine?" she added teasingly.

"Ladies choice."

"Yours."

As Norm and Karen left the cafeteria conversation seemed to be drawing to a close for the day. In pairs, or individually, the others began making their way to where they intended to sleep for the night.

Max and Ron hung back waiting for all of the others to leave. Sitting across from each other, playing double deck solitaire they continued to play until they had the room to themselves. Each was deep in thought about what they had discovered earlier that day. Each had a completely different perspective on just what this discovery was going to mean.

"We are going to have to tell the others," Ron said after the room was empty and the game over. "We can't just pretend we didn't find the damn thing."

"Yes, I know," Max replied. "The bigger question is what do we do with it…about it."

"We can't ignore it. That would be just wrong, completely unethical," Ron added. "It is a living being after all."

"Is it? I'm not sure what defines the term 'being' anymore," Max said, his eyes seemingly focused elsewhere. "There is no question that it is alive. We can see that from the monitors," he added bringing his attention back to Ron.

"We have to bring it out of stasis," Ron began. "Once it's conscious we can decide what to do next."

"I guess I should have expected something like this," Max replied, seeming to shake off his gloomy attitude. "The RDA has suspected for several years that the avatar program was not going to get them what they wanted. Namely a cheap indigenous workforce. Selfridge mentioned to me once that the cost of sending humans to Pandora was growing increasingly expensive."

"He did?" Ron asked. "I thought he never talked company business with the science department."

"Yeah, that's true. But one night he and I were alone in the cafeteria and he had been drinking steadily for a while. For some reason he just started rambling on and on about company business. Maybe he was pissed about something. Maybe this place was finally getting to him. After four years this place would get on anyone's nerves. I don't know why, really. Anyway, he kept on about the company's shrinking profits and that some new strategy was being worked on back on Earth."

"So you think this being is part of the RDA's new strategy?" Ron asked. "In a way I guess it makes sense. Cloning humans has to be cheaper than cloning avatars and shipping them and their driver all the way to Pandora. Plus, all of our equipment was engineered for the human form factor. It must have taken some time to clone a human that could breathe Pandora's air directly. The fact that the clone only has to be shipped one way would offset some of the costs of creating it in the first place. Couple that with a life time of work and it makes economic sense. Of course it violates every human rights law ever written."

"If the artifact isn't classified as human, then the laws wouldn't apply," Max replied. "I know, I know, that's really bending the facts to suit their own purposes," Max added as Ron opened his mouth to protest.

"The bottom line for us is that we have this living clone in a gestation pod and we have to decide what to do with it," Max finished.

"Well we can't just turn it off, kill it," Ron began, his voice climbing as it did when his ethics were being challenged. "We have no real choice. We have to awaken it. Once we get a sense of its intelligence level then we can decide how to proceed."

"At least the RDA sent along all the engineering designs and training programs that were intended to be used. I suppose we will just have to wait and see where this all leads to," Max added thoughtfully.

"On that note, I'm going to turn in," Ron said as he stood up and stretched. "See you in the morning."

"Right, in the morning," Max replied as he continued to sit and think long into the night.

[xxxxx]

Gary Albright returned to the master control center, not ready to call it a night. He had a great deal on his mind. In a very real sense Gary felt responsible for the safety and wellbeing of everyone who had chosen to stay on Pandora. He knew he didn't have any real authority, but the weight of responsibility had settled on his broad shoulders without as much as a whisper. Failure of any of the systems that he was responsible for could mean the end of existence for the pitifully small group of humans remaining at Hell's Gate. From a human's point of view the station was aptly named. Stepping into Hell would be more comfortable than stepping outside the compound's walls. But for all of its dangers the world of Pandora spoke to humankind on some basic level. Gary supposed it had something to do with our ancient ancestral genes.

Glancing at the communications console, Gary stared at the message being slowly recorded from the Venture Star's SL transmitter. It had not changed since last night, still only showing 'ATCKD BY NV'. It didn't surprise Gary that no additional text had been sent today. Not when you considered the fact that the Venture Star would have still been close enough to Pandora to receive the SOL video being transmitted within minutes of sending. Gary had setup the video to be broadcasted on an endless loop after he had edited the video to about four hours' worth of data that covered all of the critical events. Selfridge and the rest of his RDA administration that had been booted off planet were probably trying to figure out what to do about the video stream. How to spin it to their advantage. Good luck with that he thought, sarcastically!

Figuring that Selfridge would wait and see how the SL transmissions played out between Pandora and Earth before committing, Gary directed his attention to a more immediate and possibly lethal problem. The forest was steadily reclaiming the cleared area around the perimeter of the compound. The rate at which the forest was advancing meant that within six months the forest would be tight against the perimeter walls. On Earth fifty meter high walls would have kept out almost everything. On Pandora where trees regularly grew to that height and higher the walls weren't going to stop the local flora or fauna from invading the compound. One way or the other, Pandora was going to erase all evidence of human presence unless they kept pushing back.

[xxxxx]

"Sleeping?" Karen asked, her head resting comfortably on Norm's chest, her body nestled snugly against his. She had been listening to the steadily slowing beat of his heart for the past few minutes. Basking in the warm afterglow of lovemaking she had been reluctant to break the mood by speaking. But as usual the outside world pushed its way back into her thoughts.

"No, just thinking," Norma replied lazily.

"About what?"

"How good you are for me…and to me," he replied, shifting onto his side so that they were face to face.

"That's right, I am. And don't you forget it either," Karen answered trying to sound firm but not quite managing to keep the humor from her voice.

"If I do, I'm sure you will remind me."

"Of course I will."

"Karen, I…"

"Norm, don't say too much," Karen interrupted, pressing her fingertips to his lips before Norm could continue with whatever he was having difficulty putting into words. "It's easy to say things now when we are both still feeling so much. Things we might not say otherwise."

"Why did you stay?" Norm asked, deciding to change the subject as he really didn't know how to put into words what he was beginning to feel for her. The conflict between wanting to spend more time in his avatar and more time with her were starting to wear on his conscience. "If you don't mind my asking. It is a little personnel," he added.

"Well it doesn't get more personal than this," Karen answered just before covering his lips with her own. As the kiss spun out she felt his hand gently caress her breast, his touch setting off small flames of desire deep in her belly.

Drawing back she looked into his eyes. Eyes that were kind and understanding, that seemed to say that she was the only woman in the world for him. If she wasn't careful to guard her heart she would fall in love with him. Of that much she was certain.

"I stayed because there was absolutely nothing on Earth to return to." Karen's voice was flat, almost hard but he didn't miss the sorrow in her eyes. "My parents were gone, I had no family. Little prospect but working and living in metal boxes for the rest of my life. Never seeing anything green, except on video. In short, just one pathetic life among billions of other pathetic lives. When the chance to train for Pandora came along I snatched it up. No way would I go back."

"You're either incredibly brave or monumentally stupid," he answered, smiling warmly as he traced the shape of her face with his fingers.

"Probably some of both. Either way, my lot is cast with Pandora and the rest of our motley human crew. If nothing else it should be fun to see how things turn out."

"So says the woman that keeps all of our pods in working order," he replied, brushing her lips with a light kiss.

"How early do you need to go back to the Omaticaya?"

"Not too early, I just need to go sometime during the day."

"Good, that means we don't have to get up early," Karen replied as she pushed him onto his back and crawled on top of him.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

For the second time Jake awoke with two females sleeping next to him. His Na'vi eyes quickly acclimated to the shadow filled pre-dawn light. Even without it, he wouldn't have had any trouble seeing Neytiri or Ralu. A glowing woodsprite was floating just above Ralu's head, its inner tentacles bobbing up and down across her forehead. Totally fascinated, he watched as the woodsprite moved slowly over the child's face. When the woodsprite rose and moved towards Neytiri, he noticed that Neytiri's eyes were open, following the woodsprite just as he was. When the sprite touched down on her nose, he thought Neytiri would go cross-eyed, so intent was her focus. Within seconds the woodsprite began to ascend, its outer tentacles undulating rhythmically. Both he and Neytiri watched until the sprite was out of sight.

For several seconds they just looked at each other, neither speaking.

"Should we place any particular significance in that?" he finally asked.

"It is impossible to know why _Atokirina_ do what they do," Neytiri replied quietly, not wanting to wake the child. "They appear to be very curious creatures. Sometimes their appearance gives a warning, other times there appears to be no specific reason other than their curiosity. Many have put forth ideas about the creatures, but none appear to be correct."

"When I woke, the sprite was dancing just above Ralu's head. I'm not sure how long it was with us or if it hovered near me as it did briefly with you."

"We will mention this to mother when we see her about Ralu," Neytiri added, adjusting her body on the sleeping mat to better accommodate Ralu. "She may see something, or she may not."

"How long before others start to rise for the day?"

"Not much longer," Neytiri answered after gazing at the sky visible through openings in the treetops. "We should eat first. Then we can take something for mother. Morning isn't her favorite time of the day. I'm usually careful what I ask for before midday."

"What about Ralu's aunt and uncle? When do we speak with them?"

"That is for mother to do, if she feels this is best for Ralu." she was watching Jake closely. She saw the concern quickly come and go on his face. It mirrored her own anxiety. She was more than a little surprised at how quickly she was becoming attached to this child and the idea of having children in general.

"Are you ok?" Jake asked, being just as tuned to Neytiri's emotions as she was to his.

"Yes, just a little surprised to realize how much I would like to make Ralu ours."

"It's all part of the healing process, isn't it? Not all wounds are visible. Some, like the loss of family or loved ones, will take much time to heal. Those of us who can, must help those who cannot help themselves."

"Yes, that is the way of Eywa."

"Funny…well not laugh funny, but one of the duties of a Marine was to protect those that could not protect themselves. Another case of 'once a Marine, always a Marine'."

"You were proud…to be a Marine," Neytiri stated as she suddenly realized the core of his character was his fierce, unwavering loyalty to what he believed in. Which at its center was, the strong protect the weak.

"Yes I was, very much so."

"And now you will be proud to be Na'vi, _Omatikaya_."

"Yes, I will. But even more, I hope you and the _Omatikaya_ will be proud of me." He was a little taken back by thus sudden need for Neytiri and the people to be proud of him. It was like a thirst he needed to satisfy in order to be whole. Several flashbacks from his journey through Eywa filled him, intensifying the feeling.

"Jake, I already am. This, in your heart you already know." Neytiri replied softly as she leaned forward to gently place her forehead against his.

"Then I will do everything that I can to always be deserving of your pride." The fact that he could sense Neytiri's pride in him helped to ease the thirst.

Ralu began to stir as Jake and Neytiri separated. After stretching several different ways, her eyes slowly opened. At first Ralu looked a bit dazed as if she didn't know where she was. That look quickly passed, replaced by a sheepish grin, as she looked cautiously back and forth between Jake and Neytiri.

"Did you sleep well?" Neytiri asked as she brushed Ralu's unbraided hair away from her face.

"Yes I did," she replied, her voice almost too soft to hear.

"Ladies, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry," Jake chimed in. "Let's go and see what we can get to eat."

When Ralu turned her attention towards Jake, her grin turned into a smile that lit her entire face. The instant he returned her smile Ralu rolled into him, hugging him fiercely as she had done the night before. This time he returned the hug, completely undone by Ralu's spontaneous display of emotion. Watching Ralu and Jake embrace, the strange sensation that had come to Neytiri earlier returned once again. It left a sense of longing, but was not unpleasant.

"Others should be up and about," Neytiri said after Jake released Ralu. "As today is going to be very busy, we should get something to eat as quickly as possible."

Sitting up, Jake and Neytiri put on their body adornments as Ralu stood and rubbed the muscles in her arms and legs. After attaching their knives Neytiri led the way back to the gathering area they had eaten in the night before. Ralu's hand was firmly holding Jake's before they were half way there.

About twenty clan members were already in the gathering area eating various fruits, nuts and dried meat sticks. The cooking fire was being tended in preparation for any meat that would be taken later in the day. Motioning for Jake and Ralu to follow, Neytiri helped the three of them select food for their morning meal.

Looking around Jake thought that Mo'at wasn't the only person who disliked mornings. Several of his brothers and sisters looked as though that were working their way through a hangover of major proportions. Of course this might all be from the events they had all lived through for the past week. Post-traumatic-shock, as a vet he was well aware of what PTS could do to a person. If anyone was entitled to a little PTS it was the _Omatikaya_. He would try to apply what little training he had in dealing with PTS to those who appeared to need it most.

Jake and Neytiri had both noticed a few glances directed towards Ralu. Nothing hostile, mostly just curiosity for the most part. Neytiri led them to where Tey'bar and Ell'a'u were sitting. "I see you," Neytiri addressed the two young warriors as she sat down, Jake and Ralu sitting beside her facing them.

"I see you." The young warriors replied in turn, repeating the greeting to Jake. He returned the greeting easily. There was another special bond here, as all three of them had taken their _Ikran's_ together under Tsu'tey's tutelage. Since over half of the clan's warriors had died fighting Quaritch, he and all the other surviving warrior/hunters were going to be very busy gathering meat while trying to locate a new home. He knew that Neytiri was going to be more than a little frustrated at not being able to fly with them on the hunt or the search. They were going to have to get her a new banshee as quickly as possible. He knew she would be torn between the desire to honor her fallen _Ikran's_ memory and the desire to get a new mount as soon as possible.

"Jakesully, most of the hunters want you to lead us," Tey'bar began after Jake and Neytiri had finished eating. "This includes Ell'a'u and myself. We do not fully understand why you do not feel worthy to lead the _Omatikaya_. No one could be more worthy than _Toruk Macto_. We understand that this is now a decision for the Council of Elders. Until someone else is chosen you will be _Olo'eyktan_ to us. For now, no one else could lead us as well as you. Even though the battle is over and the Sky People have been sent back to where they came from, we still need you. Maybe more than ever before. What you said about being _Omatikaya_ for a short time is true. Ell'a'u and I have been _Omatikaya_ for whole life, and what we are certain about is that we need you to lead us. For at least as long as it takes to find a new home and begin the healing process. If you feel payment must be made by you personally for what happened to Hometree then this is what most of the _Omatikaya_ would feel justified in accepting."

Jake sat listening to Tey'bar's monologue without interrupting him. He knew that Tey'bar and Ell'a'u were loyal to him, he just hadn't realized how much.

"You sure know how to make it hard to refuse," Jake replied after Tey'bar finished. Like Jake, Neytiri had remained silent during Tey'bar's appeal. He could all but feel the hidden smile on Neytiri's lips. Knowing when it made sense to accept the inevitable, at least for the immediate future, he resigned himself to giving orders once again.

"How many hunters have banshee's that are able to fly?" Jake asked, knowing that some of the survivors had lost their banshee's just as Neytiri had.

"Thirty, although not all are fully healed," Ell'a'u replied.

"Has anyone ever come across another tree that they thought might make a good home?" Jake asked Neytiri, hoping a couple of possibilities might have already been spotted.

"None that I know of. As the _Omatikaya_ have lived in Hometree for many, many generations, no one would be thinking about the possibility of finding a new home."

Ralu was completely absorbed in the conversation going on around her. Normally children were sent away to work or play when serious discussions were taking place. Keeping her mouth shut and her ears open, trying to be as small as possible was to her mind the best way to be able to stay in the middle of what was going on. From firsthand, devastating personal experience she knew the terrible loss the people had suffered. In her heart she was certain that Neytiri and Jakesully would make the people whole again. In her dreams she saw herself fully grown; leading the people in prayer song over some event she could not quite see clearly. When Jake had started talking to the boys last night she knew instinctively that her future was going to be tied to his. Since shyness had never been one of her traits, she decided to seize the opportunity and get close to Jake. She was more than satisfied with the results so far. She felt no guilt for going after what she wanted. Her mother had told her many times that a woman must always be ready to take advantage of events that came her way. Since men were stronger, women needed to be smarter. This was a lesson that had penetrated deep into her mind.

"Yes, I can understand that," Jake answered. "Realistically, how far from here should we search? Exactly what are we searching for?"

"Before Hometree was destroyed there were almost one thousand men, women and children living there. We have lost almost half of our people. While we do not need a tree as large as Hometree just now, we need to plan for the future. The _Omatikaya_ have always lived in the forest. I don't think now is the time to change that. From my own personal travels I think we should concentrate our search in the direction of the rising sun. Water must be close by any new home, of course."

"You do realize that direction would move us closer to the Sky People's compound."

"Yes, I know. But if the Sky People come back does it really make a difference where we live?" Neytiri asked, with a slight shrug.

"In the long run, probably not. As long as our new home isn't sitting on what they want, they would probably leave us alone."

"Tey'bar, take as many hunters as you need to find food for the next few days," Jake ordered, shifting his focus back to the two young hunter-warriors. "Ell'a'u, organize the rest into search groups. At least four hunters per group. I don't want anyone going off alone."

"I will take eight hunters. Four on the ground and four in the air," Tey'bar replied, looking for confirmation from him.

"Good hunting," he replied, not questioning Tey'bar's choice. He wanted the young hunter to feel and accept the faith that he was placing in him.

"I think we should send out four groups," Ell'a'u began once Tey'bar had left to organize his hunting party. "We should be able to cover all of the area within four days ride by Direhorse. If we do not find something suitable, we go further tomorrow."

"That sounds like a good plan. Even though I know you will, be alert."

"Is there any water close by where we could bow-fish?" Jake asked Neytiri after Ell'a'u had gone.

"About an hour's walk from here there is a small lake that holds many fish suitable for eating. We should take some of the young hunters in training. It would be good for them to have something to do."

"Yes it would. I know it's going to be hard for a while, but the sooner everyone starts spending their days doing normal activities the better"

"Isn't that right?" Jake asked Ralu, playfully tugging her hair.

"I guess so…"

"Do you have any questions about what was discussed," Jake asked Ralu as she bounced to her feet. "That's assuming you were paying attention, not sleeping with your eyes open."

"No. No questions about talking," Ralu answered seriously. "But I do have a question about something else."

"And what would that be?" Jake asked, brushing her hair from the side of her face.

"When will you let me fly with you?" Ralu asked, flicking a quick glance at Neytiri before locking her eyes with Jake's.

"That is a very good question," Jake answered somberly. It was amazing how penetrating Ralu's eyes could be. He felt as if she were seeing all the way through him and back. "The very poor answer is, I don't know."

"Right now you have something more important to decide," Neytiri said, biting back the smile because of the frown on Ralu's face over Jake's non-answer. "Do you want to live with Jake and me? Should we be the beginning of a new family? Since this is very serious you may need some time to think about it," Neytiri added.

They sat quietly while Ralu absorbed what she had been asked. Several emotions came and went across her young face. Looking directly at Neytiri, who had asked the question, Ralu responded.

"I have thought about this, if fact I even dreamed about this last night. I want us to be family. I will miss my mother and father always. Now that they are with Eywa I want to be your child. I want you to be my new mother, my new father," Ralu concluded solemnly, looking at both Jake and Neytiri in turn.

"If this is what you want, we will speak with mother," Neytiri said, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders.

"Pretty wise for a five year old," Jake added when Ralu turned her smiling face to look at him.

"I am six," Ralu responded haughtily.

"My mistake," he replied, trying to sound apologetic. "I'm real new at being a father, so you'll just have to bear with me."

"Ralu, Jake has not spent much time with the children of the tribe. We must teach him how to recognize one age from another," Neytiri added quickly. Neytiri's tone was firm but not harsh. He recognized it immediately and almost said something in Ralu's defense. Neytiri was reminding Ralu, in a very mild way that she needed to show respect for her elders.

Catching Neytiri's meaning immediately, as it was very much like her birth mother's, Ralu softened her tone. "It is easy mistake to make as there is not much difference between five and six. Mostly just size. I am smaller than most of the other six year olds."

"In time I will learn the ages of most of the people. You can help me do that, ok?" Jake asked, smiling at his prospective new daughter.

"Yes, I will."

"All right. Let's get something for mother to eat and go find her," Neytiri said as she rose smoothly to her feet.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

When Norm and Karen walked into the lab the first thing they saw was Susan, looking freshly showered, her hair shining in a long straight fall. But what immediately caught their attention was the look on her face. The expression she was wearing suggested that she had just stepped into something very disgusting. Max and Ron were frowning over the portable virtual computer screen they were both looking at.

"What's going on?" Norm asked when he was close enough to make out what was being displayed on the PVC.

"You're not going to believe this," Susan answered, gesturing impatiently at the PVC.

"Not going to believe what?" Karen asked, trying to read the translucent screen.

"Max, what is this all about?" Norm couldn't read the screen from where he stood.

"The RDA has sent us a human male clone. It came in on the Venture Star," Max answered as he turned to face Norm and Karen. "We didn't even know about it. Selfridge had the amino tank and all associated records placed in the Sec-Op secure storage area."

"Is it some kind of super-soldier?" Karen asked.

"No. Basically it's completely normal except for the fact that it is supposed to be able to breath Pandora's air and digest most of the native food substances," Max answered.

"Why in the name of God would they do that?" Susan asked, raking her hand through her hair.

"Our best guess is that the RDA sees the avatar program as a failure, but still wants an indigenous workforce," Ron answered. "If they couldn't convince the Na'vi to work the mining operation, cloning a group of human workers was the next best option. Sending human workers across light-years and back home again is getting to be too expensive."

"In other words, slave labor," Karen added, understanding why Susan had looked so repulsed. "These clones would live and work here until they died or were killed when they could no longer produce."

"I thought there were laws against that sort of thing," Norm stated.

"This isn't Earth. Besides, what inspector is going to travel all the way to Pandora just to make sure the RDA is obeying the law?" Ron asked sarcastically. "Even if one was stupid enough to make the trip, he or she would probably have a fatal accident if they were going to report something the company didn't want reported."

"So what do we do now?" Norm asked.

"That's a question, isn't it?" Karen replied, taking the PVC from Max so she could see what information was available about the clone.

"We either bring it out of its amino pod, or we let it terminate," Max answered, looking in turn at each of the others.

"Bring it to life or kill it, those are the only two choices," Ron added. "If we don't get it out of the pod soon, it will expire on its own."

"I don't think we have a choice," Susan began. "We didn't create this thing. We certainly didn't ask for the RDA to dump this in our laps. But we can't just let it die, that would be immoral."

"Exactly," Ron added.

"I don't see as we have any real choice," Norm began. "If it doesn't survive the process, then we will have done everything humanly possible. If it does…well, we will cross that bridge when we come to it."

"It says here that the clone was shipped with a complete set of subliminal training and indoctrination materials," Karen said, looking up from the PVC screen. "If fact, it should have already received half of them on the trip out."

"Where is the clone now?" Norm asked.

"It's still in Sec-Ops secure storage," Max answered.

"Well let's get the thing over here and see if it's still viable," Ron added. "By the way, what are we going to call this thing anyway?"

"The documentation refers to it as Alpha-1", Karen answered.

"Let's wake Alpha up and see what he has to say for himself." Susan suggested.

Jake watched as Neytiri showed Ateyo and Neynat how to stalk and catch fish with a special barbed arrow used for just that purpose. Tagola was working on his second catch of the day, having been trained in the previous season by his father. From his perch on top of a large boulder he kept a wary eye out for anything that might be stalking the young hunters Neytiri was currently training. Ralu and several other young children were playing at the water's edge a short distance away. They had been instructed not to go into the water above their knees. He kept an eye on them as well. Two hunters on their direhorse's patrolled the perimeter of the small lake while a lone hunter soared overhead on his _Ikran_.

The journey to the lake had been uneventful. If any predators had been in the area, the sound of direhorses galloping through the forest would have sent them in other directions. Neytiri had spent most of the trip explaining the art of bow fishing to their new trainees. This left Jake to keep a watchful eye on five young children. The kids were easy to tend to as mostly they just looked at him and giggled a lot. If any of his charges got a little too adventurous all he had to do was cough and scowl in their direction.

Ralu seemed to be the center of attention as the other children were always whispering something to her. Occasionally she would glance over her shoulder at him, a knowing smile on her face. At the start of the journey Neytiri had walked side by side with him as the hunters in training took the lead.

"Since I don't know your mother all that well, I didn't get a sense of what she thought about making Ralu ours."

"Sometimes mother is very hard to read, especially if she doesn't want to be read."

"She didn't seem upset or happy when we told her about Ralu. I did expect some kind of reaction."

"If she was against the idea she would have said so immediately. Since she said she would speak to Ralu's aunt and uncle on our behalf, she will. If they do not wish to keep the child, Ralu will be ours. On the other hand, if they want her as part of their family, I don't think mother will go against them."

"For Ralu's sake, as well as ours, I hope they will let her stay with us. She seems to be quite definite about what she wants."

"Yes, she is that," Neytiri answered.

"Will your mother speak with them today?"

"I would think so. If Ralu is not to be ours she will have to go back to sleeping with her aunt and uncle. We will know before this day is past."

"Now I need to go and speak with our new trainees. Keep an eye on the children. They can disappear before your very eyes. A game they like to play on adults," Neytiri added as she hurried to catch up with the young hunters.

Jake was jogged back to present as he heard several of the children let out a high pitched squeal. Instantly he spotted what had spooked them. A small school of dinicthoids was swimming towards the shore where the children had been playing at the water's edge. He was just about to yell at the kids to get back when the dinicthoids instantly reversed direction and disappeared from sight. Something had spooked them, he was sure of that. It was like a school of fish darting off when they sensed a predator.

Jake let out a shrill whistle, a trick he found he could do with his Na'vi lips as well as his human ones. When Neytiri looked over at him, he pointed out into the water where the dinicthoids had been and made motions with his hands to outline their shape. Neytiri nodded her head in understanding. Returning her attention to Ateyo and Neynat she continued to coach them while keeping a sharp eye on the lake.

All of the drivers were in their avatars. The easiest way to bring the human clone into the lab was to use the outside airlock to the lab. Unfortunately that meant that they had to wheel, then carry the amino tank with its passenger across an open stretch of the tarmac and then through the avatar training area. For about one hundred meters they would be exposed, prone to attack by aerial predators. For protection Andy and Buck were carrying MBS-9M Hydra's that were normally used as door guns on the Sampson and Scorpion VTOL's. Abby wielded a Bush Boss FD-11 flame-thrower. The idea being to scare off anything that attempted to attack the avatars while they were exposed. Killing was to be used only as a last resort.

"Are we ready?" Kyle asked the other avatars at the external door of the Sec-Op's storage warehouse. The amnio tank with its mostly human cargo rested on a trolley with six wheels. By human standards the tank and passenger weighed more than what six men could carry easily. Four of the avatars would be able to lift and carry it without straining.

"All set," Buck replied as he punched the button to open the motorized door. Andy took point while Abby walked a few meters behind him. As soon as Abby cleared the door, Kyle and Judy followed, pushing the trolley as they too scanned the skies for any sign of danger. Once the trolley was clear of the door's opening, Buck slapped the close button and took up position at the rear of the little procession.

All the avatars were wearing throat communicators to stay in touch with each other and those inside the complex. From the control tower Gary and Norm keep a wary eye on the procession as they made their way across the tarmac. It was midday. The sun was hot even though the sky was mostly covered in clouds. The fact that the clouds were low worried Gary as he scanned the sky above the tarmac. He would have preferred a sunny day, even if it did mean higher temperatures. Thankfully, the avatars would take less than five minutes to reach the gate to the training yard. They would be a lot less exposed once they got clear of the tarmac.

"Did you see that?" Buck asked, sensing a dark shape in the clouds overhead. They had been in the open for less than a minute.

"Where?" Andy and Abby asked simultaneously, trying to glance in all directions at once.

"Off to the right, two hundred meters up," Buck replied, shielding his eyes with his hand in an attempt to see better.

At that instant a forest banshee dived from the clouds directly towards the avatars. By the time weapons were raised it had veered off and climbed back into the clouds while screeching loudly.

"We have more company," Judy called out, pointing off to the left as another banshee dipped below the clouds.

Buck felt his avatar senses whip into overdrive. He knew they were being stalked from the air. But there was something else, something he couldn't quite get a sense of. He turned around, walking backwards so that nothing could sneak up from behind. They were still twenty meters from the gate to the training area when piercing screams filled the air and two banshees dove directly for them, their talons outstretched ready for attack.

"Move!" Buck yelled out as he raised his weapon and let off a short burst of tracer rounds. The tracers missed the banshee's as intended but were close enough to cause them to swing wide and climb back into the clouds.

Andy had the gate to the training area open by the time Kyle and Judy arrived, pushing the trolley at a quick jog. Slinging their weapons over their shoulders Andy and Buck helped Kyle lift the trolley to carry it over the uneven ground to the lab's airlock. Judy quickly secured the gate and hurried after them, while Abby watched the skies for any sign of trouble.

Max had the outer door of the airlock open by the time the avatars reached it. Setting the trolley back on its wheels, Buck and Kyle rolled it inside.

"We'll take it from here," Max's voice announced through their comm-links. "Go get some food. You're avatars look like they could use some nourishment. Be careful kitties," Max concluded, doing a fair imitation of Grace.

"Up yours!" Buck replied without any real heat. "He's just jealous because he's in there and not out here," Buck added to the others as they headed off to pick some ripe fruit and whatever else they could scrounge for food.

[xxxxx]

When the outer door to the airlock sealed and the control light flashed green, Max opened the inner door. Even with Susan and Ron's help, wheeling the tank into the lab's staging area took everything they had.

"Why isn't this damn trolley motorized?" Susan asked, obviously annoyed once the tank was hooked up to the lab's computer and umbilical plumbing.

"Maybe it was built on short notice." Ron answered. "It's different from the ones used for the avatars. Their motor units are too big to use on this one."

"It's in place now. Susan, start the diagnostics. Ron, see what the analyzer has to say about the content of the amniotic fluid," Max ordered as he studied the readouts on his PVC.

After several minutes Ron reported that the amniotic fluid was within tolerances for all chemical and biological agents. Several of the nitrates were on the high end of the scale but wouldn't be a problem. In preparation for draining the tank Ron connected the discharge hoses, double checking their seals.

"Hey, this is odd," Susan commented after she had run through the first set of tests.

"What's odd?" Max asked as he came over to stand behind her to peer over her shoulder at the display screen.

"This clone isn't sterile. I thought it was company policy that all inhabitants had to be sterile, or at least reversibly sterile as in our case."

"It is, or it was," Max answered frowning at the readout. Ron joined them to see the tests result himself.

"Hell, even the avatars are sterile. I wonder why this one isn't." Ron looked closer at the test results, not quite believing them. "Either they didn't have time to sterilize it or maybe they plan on breeding these things."

"In that case genius, where is Eve-1?" Susan asked.

"How the hell should I know," Ron replied, more than a little irritated by the moral implications of the whole situation.

"It's nothing to worry about for now," Max said, shifting his attention back to the clone. "Let's get it out of the tank. Ron, start the timer."

From the time they started draining the tank, they had less than five minutes to get the body out and onto oxygen. Except in this case, it would be the normal mix of gases found in Pandora's air.

At the two minute mark the tank was almost fully drained. The gurney was positioned at the tank's end to receive its contents.

"Max, this is Buck." his voice came through the command console next to where Susan was standing watching the gauges monitoring the clone's vital signs.

"Go ahead Buck," Susan answered pushing the talk switch.

"We are headed back into the hanger bay. Once we have our avatars secure we will be coming out. Let Karen know, will you? How's the newest addition to our little lost paradise?"

"Fine so far. We are almost done draining the tank. Should have him out and on the gurney in another couple of minutes."

"Ok. See you in five," Buck added.

"Tanks empty, breaking seals," Ron called out.

There was a soft hiss as the end of the tank was taken away by the clamps used for that purpose. Ron and Max slid the clone's body onto the gurney in two quick movements. Susan placed the air mask over its face and adjusted the retaining strap. Ron detached the umbilical cord from the tank, clamping it off as he did so. After Max had given the clone's cheeks a couple of light slaps it started breathing rhythmically on its own.

"Susan, continue monitoring its vitals. Ron, draw some blood for a routine test battery."

Ron had the vials and needles in hand ready to draw the necessary samples when the floor beneath them quivered noticeably.

"What the hell was that?" Ron demanded, looking around the lab for some explanation.

"Damned if I know," Max replied. "Let me call Gary. See if he felt anything."

Max was halfway to the phone when the room lurched sideways so violently that all three of them were knocked off their feet without warning. Susan screamed when the gurney tipped, toppling directly towards her. Her screams were drowned out by the ear-piercing sound of klaxons filling the air as the power went out plunging them into total darkness.

When Jake felt the rock he was sitting on vibrate, his first though was the shockwave from a high-explosive detonation. Except there was no sound, no flash or heat. The rock had definitely vibrated beneath him. He was quite certain of that. As it seemed that every winged creature on the planet suddenly took to the air his focus shifted from the ground to sky. He had never seen so many creatures airborne at one time. The horizon was almost black with them. Standing to get a better look, he found himself catapulted into the air as the rock shot up and to the side as if hit by a giant hammer.

Hitting the ground in a rolling summersault, Jake was on his feet bounding to where the children were sprawled at the water's edge. Two of the children were just starting to wail as he reached down to gather them to his side. He was just about to ask Ralu if she was ok when the water in the lake began to recede from the shoreline at rapid pace, gaining speed with each passing second. Hoisting the two most frightened children into his arms while the others wrapped their arms firmly around his legs he looked out to where Neytiri, Ateyo and Neynat had been fishing. When he didn't see them his heart immediately climbed into the back of his throat, his stomach muscles knotting painfully.

"Neytiri!" Jake bellowed as he scanned for any sign of her or the young hunters. Unable to move with five children hanging onto him all he could do was call out again. By now the water had receded to the very center of the lake leaving behind a surreal scene. After the third call he spotted her with Ateyo and Neynat coming out from behind the rocks they had been standing on to fish. His heart slowly settled as the three of them slogged their way across the lake bottom to shore and began running in his direction.

"Where's Tagola?" Jake asked just as soon as Neytiri was close enough to hear.

"He was sucked out into the lake when the water went away. I was barely able to hold onto Ateyo and Neynat."

Everyone turned to look at the now empty lake bottom. It was the strangest sight any of them had ever seen. Millions of cubic meters of water had vanished in just under two minutes. A large gaping hole was clearly visible in the center of the lakebed.

"He's gone," Jake said quietly as Neytiri took one of the children he was holding.

"Yes, I see," she answered trying to calm the child who was clinging to her neck. "We must return to the Well of Souls immediately. Others may be injured."

"Neytiri, what is that?" Ateyo asked pointing to a dark black cloud forming on the far side of the lakebed just above the tree line.

For several seconds Neytiri stared as the dark cloud changed shape several times.

"Wasps! This is very bad. When nest is disturbed wasps become very aggressive. They attack anything that moves. We must go now!"

Jake didn't have to be told twice. He had seen the results of Hell-Fire wasp stings on a few of the mine workers just after he arrived at Hell's Gate. Nasty! One of the miners had actually died from the stings.

"Jake, you carry Silpey and Tanhi, they are the lightest. Ateyo, Tsulam is with you. Ninral, Neynat will carry you. Ralu, you are with me," Neytiri ordered at once. "If we keep to a fast pace we should be back at the Well of Souls in half the time it took to get here."

"Where are Eu'ta'o and Tau'san?" Jake asked, suddenly remembering the warriors on direhorseback.

"They should have little trouble outrunning the wasps, which is more that we will be able to do if the catch up with us. We leave now!"

Neytiri was more frightened than he had ever seen her. Hometree had been devastating, but this was different. Whatever in the hell 'this' was? Figuring correctly that this was not the time to ask her why, he adjusted his two charges, one on his back and one in front, and headed off at a medium lope back along the route they followed to get to the lake.

Swinging Ralu up onto her back, Neytiri made sure Ateyo and Neynat with the other two children were ready to go. "Try to keep up with Jake," she instructed. "If you cannot, call out and he will slow his pace."

For five minutes they jogged in single file, Jake in the lead with Neytiri following the others. No one spoke a word. Bows ready, they were all scanning the forest for any signs of predators that might be waiting, ready to attack. The forest was eerily quiet which only heightened Neytiri's sense of unease. Wasps had always given her a bad time. She could handle just about anything with teeth, but not wasps. The sight of the swarm had almost brought her to her knees. Neytiri wasn't sure why she had such an irrational fear of them, she just did.

The sounds of hoofs thundering up behind them had everyone stopping to turn and face what was charging in their direction. In one fluid motion, Neytiri squatted so Ralu could drop from her back and nocked an arrow in her bow. Jake was by her side in a heartbeat, an arrow nocked, ready to release if need be. Ten long seconds later, Eu'ta'o and Tau'san bounded into view, riding hard and fast.

Drawing up short, the hunters brought their mounts to a sudden stop in from of Neytiri and Jake who had lowered their bows. From the looks on their faces it was obvious that the hunters were more than a little unnerved.

"The lake! Did you see…"

"Yes, we saw," Neytiri cut Eu'ta'o off. "Take four of the children back to the other clan members. Ralu will stay with us. We will make better time with only one child to carry. If you are not needed immediately, come back for Ateyo and Neynat."

Without argument two children were hoisted up to each hunter and they set off at a moderate gallop towards the Well of Souls. Jake hoisted Ralu onto his back and began to trot after the direhorses. With the lighter load Jake was able to increase his speed, the others easily keeping pace with him.

"Neytiri, how often do you have earthquakes?" Jake asked, having given the matter considerable thought while jogging through the forest. A quake was the only thing he could think of that would explain what had just happened. From the force needed to move the rock he had been sitting on as it were a mere pebble, Jake figured that the quake was well up there on the Richter scale.

"Earth quack? What is earth quack?" Neytiri was looking at him totally puzzled.

"No quake, not quack. Quake means to shake, shift side to side, up and down. Something caused the earth…land…to shift violently. On Earth this is known as earthquake."

"In whole of my life, never have I seen or felt this thing you call earth quake."

"Obviously they don't happen all that often then. On Earth some places get them all the time, others hardly ever."

"I do not like this quaking. I hope I never see another."

"Jake, where did the water in the lake go?" Neytiri asked when her thoughts returned to Tagola.

"The quake must have shifted the ground beneath the lakebed allowing the water to run out. From the dark hole in the middle of the lake my guess is that a cavern of some sort opened up and allowed the water to drain out."

Jake was trying to decide just how much geology he should try to explain when Eu'ta'o and Tau'san came riding full out directly at them. They brought their mounts to an abrupt stop, dismounting and breaking their bonds on the fly. The anguish and panic on their faces had Neytiri and Jake grasping for each other's hands.

"Many _Omatikaya_ are dead…more are terribly injured," Tau'san choked out between gasps while trying to regain his wind. "Take our mounts. You must go quickly. We will follow on foot."

Without asking for any details Neytiri bonded with Tau'san's direhorse and leapt on to its back. Beckoning for Jake to pass Ralu up to her she settled the child in front of her as Jake mounted the other direhorse. Kicking the horse both mentally and physically Neytiri set off at a fast gallop.

"What happened," Jake asked Eu'ta'o as soon as he was astride his mount.

"Several of the large stone arches collapsed. Many were crushed to death. Others are still trapped beneath the stones."

Jake didn't wait for any further details but set off at as fast a gallop as he could manage to try and catch up with Neytiri. He was glad she had Ralu, as her riding skill was much better than his.

Jake caught site of Neytiri just as she broke into the opening near the Well of Souls. By the time he reached the opening she had dismounted and was staring in shocked disbelief at the chaos surrounding her. When he dismounted, Ralu was clinging to Neytiri, her face pressed tight against her thigh.

Everywhere around them people were dead or dying. When the sounds of pain and despair registered in Jake's ears it was almost more than he could bear. As he turned his attention to Neytiri the ground began to shake, but less forcibly than before. Panicked, Ralu literally leapt up to wrap her arms around his neck, shaking uncontrollably.

"It's an aftershock," Jake told Neytiri as he pulled her tight against them. "We may get a few more. That is if quakes on Pandora are anything like they are on Earth."

Neytiri wanted to scream at the madness that was happening around her. Nothing in her whole life had prepared her for this. In less than two weeks she had witnessed her home being destroyed, hundreds upon hundreds of Na'vi died fighting the Sky People, and now this. It seemed as if her world had suddenly turned against them. As if Eywa had deserted the _Omatikaya_.

"Here, take Ralu," Jake demanded, roughly shoving the child into her arms and bolting off towards the base of one of the stone arches that had collapsed.

Following Jake's direction she saw that he was running towards a young woman who sat holding her child at the base of the arch. Unnoticed above her head, a large section of the arch was teetering back and forth ready to fall. As Jake neared the woman, it seemed to Neytiri that everything started moving in slow motion. The loose section of arch tipped and began to fall just as Jake reached the woman and bodily picked her and the child she was holding up into his arms. It seemed as if the large block of stone was right on top of them as he twisted and rolled out of its path. When the stone hit the ground sending out small shock waves Neytiri was jogged back to her normal sense of time. Standing there doing nothing, she suddenly realized that she needed to pull herself together and start helping her people.

"Ralu, we must be brave," Neytiri said in as calm a voice as she could manage. "Our people need us to be strong and help them."

Setting Ralu on her feet Neytiri quickly moved to the closest person. It was an older woman who was still alive. It appeared that her arm was broken as it was twisted at an unnatural angle. When she straightened the woman's arm she was prepared for the scream of pain. Broken arms and legs were not terribly common, but they did happen from time to time. Usually straightening and immobilizing the limb let it heal over time.

Moving on to the next person who was sitting up, Neytiri quickly determined that it was his ankle. There being nothing she could do for him she moved on to the next person.

Minutes turned into an hour as she and Jake went about helping all those that they could. Mostly broken bones or bruised bodies from the falling, rolling stone fragments. Six were dead, apparently hit in the head by the rubble from the arch's collapse.

After several minutes of helping injured clan members Jake suddenly remembered that Norm's avatar body was somewhere nearby. Glancing around, he didn't spot any sign of it. As there were so many injured right in front of him he didn't have time to go looking for it. It was safe or it wasn't. Nothing he could do about it at the moment.

With the help of a dozen other uninjured clan members Jake and Neytiri were able to help all of the victims that were not buried by rock and stone. He had seen several arms and legs sticking out from under large stones, their owners quite dead he was sure.

As he was looking for someone else in need of help Jake spotted Mo'at walking slowly into the clearing. Before he could shout to Neytiri she was up and running full out in her mother's direction. Walking toward mother and daughter, Jake could tell from their faces that something was terribly wrong.

"Jake…" When Neytiri reached out and grasped his hand he could only think that something had happed to Norm's avatar. "Come with me."

Neytiri led him back down the path that her mother had just climbed. As she turned towards a large section of stone that had been part of the tallest arch Jake noticed a young boy, or rather half of a young boy. His legs were completely buried beneath the stone, obviously crushed to pulp. He was sure the boy had to be dead but at the sound of their approach he turned his head and looked at him. The boy's eyes were glassy, as he was obviously in shock. He could see the fear on the boy's face but not a lot of pain. This he understood perfectly from when he had lost the use of his own legs.

"His name is Mayteo," Neytiri whispered softly to him as they approached.

Kneeling down beside the boy, he looked at what was left of the tops of the boy's legs, which wasn't much at all.

"Mayteo, can you talk?"

When the boy tried to speak only a gurgling sound passed his lips. That and some blood.

"All right, don't try," he added, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Blink your eyes once if you are in a lot of pain."

As he expected the boy didn't blink.

"He is in shock," Jake told Neytiri and Mo'at. "It's blocking most of the pain, at least for the moment. I'm not sure what if anything we can do for him."

"You can set his spirit free," Mo'at replied. "End his suffering before it begins."

"What! I can't do that," he yelped. "I just can't. He's only a boy."

"Jake, I know what is being asked of you is very hard," Neytiri began. "You are _Olo'eyktan_, even though you do not wish to be. You are all we have. Mayteo cannot survive this. It is only a matter of time before he dies. Make him one with Eywa before the pain, the agony begins. Do not let him die slowly."

In his gut he knew there was no way that the boy was going to live. This was not the same as when he had set Tsu'tey's spirit free. Tsu'tey had been full grown, a man, a warrior mortally wounded in battle. This was nothing like that.

When he turned to look at Neytiri there were tears in her eyes. He could feel the agony and despair she was feeling. The empathy for him, her life-mate, for what he needed to do.

"Can I bond with him?" he asked, looking at both Mo'at and Neytiri.

"Under normal conditions a parent can bond with their child," Mo'at began. "I'm not sure what state Mayteo's mind will be in, but you can try."

Shifting so that he was kneeling beside the boy, he reached for the boy's queue, gently joining it with his own. He was glad that he had prepared himself for an onslaught of feeling. The strongest emotions he felt was fear and bewilderment. The boy's mind was racing in every direction at once. Reaching out with his own mind he tried to connect, to calm.

It was like trying to catch fish with your bare hands. Finally after a dozen unsuccessful attempts he managed to make a connection. The panic he felt almost overpowered his own mind. Slowly, persistently he was able to meld the boy's mind with his own. Calming, soothing as he moved the boy's focus from his body to only his mind.

"Eywa is waiting for you. She will take you to our ancestors; make you one with her for all time. Let your spirit fly. Leave this damaged body. Trust in Eywa."

Jake had prepared himself for the moment when he felt Mayteo's mind let go of his body. Quickly with a single stroke he pierced the boy's heart with his knife. The connection flared on a quick, short burst of pain and then slowly faded away.

Gently breaking the bond, he laid the boy's queue beside his lifeless body. Rising to his feet he turned to Mo'at and Neytiri, his eyes wet with tears that hand not been shed.

"It is done," he said simply and walked away.


	4. Chapter 3

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Chapter 3**

The shockwave shoved Karen violently back in the command chair. The fact that it had a high back and was bolted to the floor kept her from being thrown forcibly against the wall. Griping the armrests, she managed to remain in the chair until the room stopped moving. She bounded out of the chair just as the lights went out and the atmosphere alarm klaxon started wailing. Being alone in the dark was not one of her favorite choices. Thankfully the command console instrumentation was still giving off a faint glow. Before real panic had time to set in, the emergency lights kicked in, bathing the lab in harsh highlights and dark shadows.

Having lived at Hell's Gate for the past four years, the repeated safety training she had endured took over and had her heading straight for the cabinet with the emergency exopack's. Fitting the pack to her face she adjusted the head straps and engaged the air flow. Once she was sure she would not suffocate in Pandora's lethal air her concern turned immediately to the driver pods. The drivers would all suffocate if the seals on the pods had been compromised. Grabbing five more exopacks she all but ran to the array of pods in the center of the lab. A quick check of the attached control screens showed that all the links were working properly, the human drivers alive and healthy inside.

'Thank God for the independent power backup and free floating suspension mounts_,'_ Karen thought to herself. Making a quick check of all the other occupied pods she was relieved beyond words to find all her drivers were safely cocooned. The painful knots that had been slowly growing in her gut started to ease off.

Suddenly she realized that she was the only one up and moving around the lab. Snatching three of the exopacks from the desk she had dumped them on, she hurried to the door of the prep room. Stepping through the door she literally tripped across Max's body. He was in the early stages of atmospheric poisoning. Quickly she slipped an exopack over his face and engaged the air flow. Not waiting to see if he would regain consciousness she turned to Ron who was just a few feet away, slumped against the wall. Ron's eyes were open, his breath coming in short pants. Holding the pack against his face she waited for his breathing to steady out which it quickly did. Acknowledging her, he adjusted the head straps to hold it in place.

"Susan!" Ron gasped out turning to look at the overturned gurney.

Susan's legs were sticking out from under the gurney which was being held up by a portable pump. If the pump had not been there to break the fall, the gurney would have likely broken multiple bones, or worse, if it had landed directly on Susan. Karen quickly looked beneath the toppled gurney to make sure Susan was not pinned. Seeing nothing, she grabbed Susan by the ankles and slowly pulled her out from under the gurney. Once Susan's head was clear, she placed an exopack over her face and started the air flow. When she looked at her hand after adjusting the head straps she saw that her fingers were stained with blood.

Placing her fingers against Susan's throat she desperately tried to find a pulse. After several failed attempts she finally felt it. It was weak but steady. Carefully lifting Susan's head she tried to gage just how badly Susan was bleeding. Thankfully, she didn't detect any steady flow, mostly just blood soaked into her hair. It was too dark under the gurney to see just how much blood Susan might have lost. Knowing next to nothing about what to do for human trauma, she hoped that it was nothing more serious than a hard knock to the head.

Turning her attention back to Ron she found that he had moved over to where Max was lying, gently trying to rouse him. She felt some of the weight on her heart lift as Max began to stir.

"Max, can you hear me?" Ron asked, as he checked Max for broken bones or other traumas.

"How many of me do you see?" Ron asked after Max grunted a reply to his first question.

"Just one now…for moment there I could see two of you," Max answered, his voice getting stronger.

"Just lie still for a bit," Ron suggested, giving Max's shoulder a friendly squeeze.

"Ron, Susan has blood on the back of her head. She has a pulse. It's weak but it's there."

"Let's get her up on the gurney," Ron said as he got to his feet.

At first Karen didn't think Ron was going to be able to stand. But after placing one hand against the wall and taking several deep breathes he seemed to steady out.

"Grab the far end of the gurney, will you?" Ron asked as he moved to take the nearest end.

When Karen moved to do as Ron asked, she noticed the body of the clone slumped in the shadow. At first it startled her to see a naked man lying there, all but apparently dead. When it registered that he wasn't wearing a mask she started to panic, but then quickly remembered that the clone was designed to breathe Pandora's air.

"We'll get to him later," Ron said when he saw where Karen's attention was focused. "Right now our priority is Susan."

"Yes, of course. Ready?"

"On three," Ron commanded.

The gurney was damn heavy, or so it seemed to her, but they managed to set it back on its wheels. While Ron was locking the gurneys wheels, she came around to crouch down beside Susan who was still out cold.

"I'll make sure her head and neck are supported. You get her legs," Ron directed as he bent down and slid one arm under her neck the other just above her waist.

Once again on the count of three Ron and Karen carefully placed Susan on the righted gurney. Max had managed to stand and had moved to stand beside the gurney as Ron began to examine the extent of Susan's injuries.

As she was backing away from the gurney to give Ron and Max more room to work, the comm-unit came to life with Buck's frantic voice filling the room.

"Can anybody hear me? Is anyone there?" Buck's voice screamed.

Leaping to the console, she jammed the talk switch with her thumb. The shear panic in his voice was unmistakable. She had never heard Buck sound so scared.

"Buck, were here. What's wrong?"

"It's Andy!" Buck all but screamed, his voice cracking. "During the earthquake, or whatever that hell that was, one of the AMP suits fell over on top him. I think his avatar's dead. Terminate his link immediately!"

Karen didn't even wait to reply, she was half way to the door by the time Buck had finished. Racing as fast as she could, she went straight to Andy's pod. One look at the control panel told her that he was in serious neurological trouble. After slamming the red abort button she quickly retrieved an exopack, ready to place it on Andy's face as soon as his pod was open. It seemed like a lifetime as his pod unlatched its seals and slowly opened on its own.

Even before the pod was fully open she could see that Andy was convulsing violently, his whole body shaking with it. Lifting the sensor screen she fought to hold the exopack to Andy's face. He was shaking so hard it was almost impossible to keep a good seal around the edge of the mask.

'MAX! GET IN HERE!"

She was just about to scream for Max again when he was at her side.

"Get the crash cart, I'm losing him." her voice pitched several octaves.

"No, he needs phenobarbital to counteract the seizure," Max answered.

"Whatever the hell he needs, get it into him now."

The sixty seconds it took Max to retrieve the phenobarbital was the longest minute of her life. Andy continued to shake violently from the seizure that the death of his avatar had imprinted on his human brain. This had always been one of the big risks of being an avatar driver. Linking your human brain so completely with the avatar body meant that it suffered just like the physical avatar's brain did.

"Hold his arm as steady as you can," Max ordered as he readied the injection.

Letting go of his exopack, she held Andy's arm with both hands while Max was able to get most of the drug into Andy's bloodstream. Releasing his arm she went back to holding the mask to Andy's face as best she could.

'It's not working," she said after thirty seconds went by without any improvement in Andy's condition.

"It takes time for the drug to work, especially when the seizure is this severe."

"It better start working soon or we're going to lose him. Can you give him more?"

"I gave him as much as I dared. Any more could be lethal."

For the next several minutes she and Max stood at the side of Andy's pod praying for a miracle. At the thought that this could just have easily been Norm, she felt a deep shudder run up and down her spine. There was no way in hell that she could handle that.

While she and Max looked on helplessly, the other pods began to disengage. Buck was the first to exit his pod, making his way to stand beside her. Abby and Judy arrived close on his heels. She glanced up when the door to the lab opened and Norm and Gary walked in. They came straight over to Andy's pod, Norm moving to stand behind her.

"Oh my God," Abby cried, looking down at Andy's convulsing body.

"What have you done for him?" Norm asked, wrapping his arm around Abby who was now leaning against him.

"Phenobarbital, as much as his body weight could take," Max answered.

Before Norm could respond, Andy's body jerked hard, and then lay still. Gently placing his fingers against Andy's throat Max tried to find a pulse.

"He's gone," Max added a few seconds later. The psionic link transferred the full impact of the trauma from the avatar brain to his human brain. It was just too much for his brain to absorb.

Numb from the shock of watching someone she had come to know very well over the past three years, she turned and buried her face in Norm's chest.

"This isn't your fault," Norm said, as he gently stroked his hand up and down her back. "It isn't anybody's fault."

"I know," she replied, her voice weak. "But he's still dead, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is," Norm added, his own thoughts totally conflicted by wanting to be human and Na'vi at the same time.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Leave him be," Mo'at said as she grabbed her daughter's arm before she could go after Jake. "He as angry, with us, and with himself, mostly with what has been forced on him without his wanting it. If you go after him, he may take his anger out on you. This he would regret when he has time to see that our way is not wrong, just different from that of the Sky People."

"I should be able to comfort him. He should not have to bear this pain alone."

"He is a man. For him the pain is his to bear. He will not thank you for wanting to ease his pain. In time he will share it with you. You are young and do not fully understand the ways of men. When you have lived as long as I, you will understand better. Not completely, just better than you do now."

"Since I cannot help Jake, we should see who we can help."

[xxxxx]

At that moment, Jake was doubled over retching what was left of his morning meal. The enormity of what he had just done weighed on him so heavily that he could barely breathe. His stomach was so tightly knotted he could actually feel it under his skin. He had killed a child, a defenseless child who couldn't even plead for his own life. Just because the child was very likely to die didn't make it right. This wasn't some comrade in arms deal where each promised not to let the other die in pain. There was no attempt to try and dig out around the boy's legs to see if they were completely crushed. No hope, so just send him on his way to Eywa. Frick, he was beginning to detest this Eywa knows best crap. The Na'vi were just of bunch of brainwashed sheep. As soon as you were no longer fit or incapable of living a useful life, off you go to be with Eywa. Being with Eywa was not all that it was cracked-up to be. He had been there, hadn't he? Not them! No, it definitely wasn't something he was looking forward to again.

As his stomach emptied, he felt as though his soul was empting right along with it. He could see Mayteo's face in his mind even with his eyes open. He prayed that he would always see that face. After what he had done, he deserved to see that face for the rest of his fricking miserable life. Guilt piled on top of despair, layer by layer until he felt as though his heart had turned to stone.

Turning away and stumbling back several steps he fell to his knees. His throat ached viscously, his eyes we so filled with tears that he could barely see. When the image of a young girl appeared before him he thought he was probably hallucinating. As the young girl moved towards him he felt as though he were drugged, watching her in slow motion. Surely no child would approach him. He was a killer of innocent children. No one would want to be with him.

When the young girl wrapped her slender arms around him, laying her cheek lightly against his chest, the damn inside him broke. Wrapping his arms around the girl he let the storm of his ravaged emotions run free. As wave after wave of pain washed through and out of him he became slowly aware that the young girl was speaking to him.

"My Jake…my Jake…I see you…I am here…I am with you…I will always be with you…I feel your pain…I feel your sorrow…Share it with me…let me help you."

[xxxxx]

Neytiri looked at the strongest, bravest man she knew, on his knees with Ralu's face pressed to his chest, their arms wound tightly around each other. She had seen Ralu head into the forest just as she and her mother returned to where most of the injured were being tended to. Not wanting Ralu to be off on her own Neytiri had followed her, catching up just in time to see Jake drop to his knees and Ralu run to him. When Jake began to tremble, tears freely flowing down his face, as Ralu tried to comfort him, Neytiri found herself brought to her own knees. The love that she felt for this man, this child was so achingly beautiful that she couldn't even begin to hold it insider of her. She wanted to go to them, to embrace them in her love. She wanted it so badly that she could taste it. Instinctively she knew that just now Jake needed the healing that only a child could offer. Especially this one very, very special child.

"Ralu…" Jake could only force the child's name passed his lips. No other words would come.

As the storm began to fade, Jake became more and more aware of Ralu. Of the quiet comfort she freely offered. This small miracle of love was holding him together. Without her he was afraid that he would shatter into a million pieces. Hugging Ralu more firmly against him he glanced up to see Neytiri just a few paces in front of him.

"I…see…you," he managed to say, Ralu's comfort having managed to loosen his throat muscles and vocal chords.

"I…see you, too," he added when Ralu looked up at him, her eyes full of love and wisdom well beyond her years.

Holding out a hand he beckoned for Neytiri to come to them.

Kneeling beside him, with Ralu between them, Neytiri lowered her forehead to lean gently, lightly against Jake's. She could feel both his and the child's hearts beating, almost as though they were one. Tilting her head she gently laid her lips on his. She could taste the salt from his tears, which only endeared him more to her. Looking down at the child held firmly between them Neytiri lowered her lips to Ralu's.

"Neytiri…" Jake began

"There is no need for words." Neytiri placed her fingers to Jakes lips. "Family needs no words. We are family. We will always know what is needed of and from each other."

"We are?" Jake asked, glancing from Neytiri to Ralu and back.

"Yes, we are. Mother spoke with Ralu's aunt and uncle. They believed it would be in her best interest for her to live with us. Be part of us."

"Did you hear that Ralu?" Jake asked, some of his spirit returning.

"Yes, I heard," she replied hugging both them both at the same time.

"You don't seem very surprised," Neytiri added, because of what Ralu hadn't said.

"I knew we were going to family," Ralu replied easily. "I saw it in my dreams. Eywa told me that I would have a new mother and father. I just had to be patient."

Ralu noticed when Jake and Neytiri exchanged looks of puzzlement, but decided now was not the time to tell them what else she had seen in her dreams.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Hey Max, Susan has regained consciousness," Ron called out from the door to the prep room, his voice distorted from the exopack.

"Be right there." Gary had briefed him on most of the major damage. He would get the remaining details after checking on Susan, and the clone.

"Norm, just close Andy's pod for now. We will take care of him shortly," Gary said when Norm looked his way.

"Everyone listen up," Gray began once Norm and Karen had quietly closed Andy's pod and turned their attention to him. Without being asked, Karen had closed Andy's lifeless eyes and straightened the collar of his shirt. Laying her hand on his chest she said her last goodbye so softly that only Norm had heard her words.

"The earthquake has caused some serious damage, although it might be more accurate to call it a shockwave instead of an earthquake. My preliminary assessment of the damage is incomplete, the best I could get on short notice. Our most pressing problem is that major sections of the refinery have collapsed knocking down a large section of the perimeter fence. Anything that walks crawls or slithers will now have easy access to the interior of the compound. The fact that the refinery was shut down and its storage tanks empty, most likely saved us from a major explosion. With our limited manpower and lack of construction knowledge I don't see how we will be able to repair the fence."

"Would there be any way to jury-rig something?" Buck asked.

"Possibly, it's something we will have to put our heads together about. A secondary problem is the number of breaches in the integrity of the complex. Fortunately most of those are fixable. Mostly sprung doors that just need to be resealed. We have a large supply of patches in various sizes for cracks and other openings. It may take a few days but we should be able to restore our air integrity. Until then, we are just going to have to live with the exopacks."

"Has anyone actually slept in one of these things?" Abby asked.

"I'm hoping we won't have to," Gary continued. "We should be able to isolate a good portion of the complex in a few hours. After that we can work on the outlying areas. We are all going to have to keep our exopacks within reach. We have no way of predicting if or when we may get more quakes, shocks."

"Why are we on emergency lighting?" Norm asked.

"The initial shock tripped all the main breakers, kicking in the emergency backups. Restarting the main geothermal generators has to be done manually. It shouldn't take too long. But even if it does, at our present rate of electrical consumption we have better than a month's worth of backup power. Right at this moment, restoring normal air flow is priority one."

"Anything else we need to know about?" Kyle asked; his arm wrapped tightly around Judy's waist. Even in times of crisis the two were inseparable.

"Lots of things overturned that will need to be cleaned up. Mostly what you would expect after something like this."

"Do we have any idea where the quake originated?" Buck asked.

"No we don't. I'm going to try to get some geological data from the satellites. See what, if any, information I can get."

"I don't remember anyone mentioning the possibility of earthquakes," Karen added, her fingers tightly intertwined with Norm's.

"Actually, Pandora is much more active than Earth when it comes to seismic activity," Zoe offered, which had everyone looking at her as if she had just spoken in a foreign tongue.

"What? Just because I worked in administration you figured I don't know anything else," Zoe replied testily. "You should all know that the RDA doesn't send a single person out here that can only do one job. Part of my duties, besides procurement, was to monitor all seismic activity on Pandora. Since I just arrived on the last shuttle I haven't had a lot of time to spend going over historical data. Selfridge had us working on inventorying the new supplies and equipment that arrived in the last shipment. He didn't seem the least bit interested in seismology."

"Zoe, henceforth you are responsible for all things geological here on Pandora." Gary was looking at her, a strange quizzical look on his face as he spoke. "Can you tell us what, you know or suspect, might be the cause of what just happened here?"

For a second Zoe was wondering just why she had opened her mouth. Now everyone was looking at her for answers. Answers she didn't have. Since there didn't seem to be any way to get out of honoring Gary's request she moved to where he was standing in front of the others. When he continued to look at her with speculation in his eyes she felt a little nervous.

"Where to begin," Zoe started out nervously. "As you may or may not know, Pandora is made up of dozens of continents and hundreds, maybe thousands, of islands. The main reason for this is due to a combination of the extreme tidal forces created by Polyphemus and her other moons, plus the intense, constantly changing magnetic fields that exist on Pandora. All her land masses essentially float on the surface of the planet, just as they do on Earth. Pandora's diameter is just slightly smaller than Earth, but its mass is less than three quarters that of Earth. This causes the crust depth to be about half that of Earth's crust. Consequently the land masses are much thinner and more brittle. Without the huge deposits of unobtanium land masses of any significant size would be highly unlikely. The unobtanium acts as a giant super magnet holding land masses together. If fact, the Hallelujah mountains are another consequence of large concentrations of unobtanium. The mountains themselves are almost completely composed of unobtanium. They are suspended in midair by the opposing magnetic and gravity fields. As the magnetic fields are constantly in flux the mountains are not stationary. This fluctuating magnetic field is what makes our instruments useless in the mountains and many other areas on the planet."

"The continent we are on is one of the largest on the planet. It is about the size of Australia. It's located just north of the equator which accounts for its tropical climate. This continent has some of the richest deposits of unobtanium on the whole planet. That is why the RDA chose to setup mining operations here. I am pointing this out as I think the mining of unobtanium has significantly changed the structural properties of the continent. Unobtanium is a multi-faceted crystalline compound. In its native state, its tensile strength far out matches that of any compound on Earth. But like all crystalline based substances once you damage the structure it can become brittle and shatter easily. Based on the amount of unobtanium that has been mined over the last several decades I believe that the tidal forces finally overcame the structural integrity provided by the magnet forces holding the continent together. What we felt today was most likely caused by the continent being fractured into two or more smaller pieces."

"Just like glass?" Judy added.

"Pretty much the same idea. I won't know just how badly the continent fractured until we can get images from the orbital satellite. From those images we may be able to get some sense of what additional changes to expect."

"What about volcanic activity?" Buck asked. "I know there are several active volcanoes on Pandora. Could this lead to more eruptions?"

"It could, but I suspect we are more likely to get steaming geysers, boiling rivers, that sort of thing. Also, a sudden change in climate wouldn't be out of the question."

"No sense in borrowing trouble," Gary put in. "Until Zoe gets data from the satellite we are just speculating. Right now we have some real issues to deal with. The sooner we plug the holes in this place the sooner we can stop using these exopacks."

"Norm, we are going to need you drivers to go back out in your avatars. Some of these leaks are going to need patching from the outside," Gary stated. It was sort of a request, but it had only one answer.

Buck felt Abby's body shudder under his hand that was resting reassuringly on her shoulder. He was sure she wasn't the only driver that was worried. He knew he was.

When Jake, Neytiri and Ralu returned to where the remaining members of the clan were gathered, they were all struck with how few they were. Jake estimated that less than three hundred were present. The sense of misery and despair was so strong it overpowered every other emotion. He recognized the hopelessness that pervaded those gathered. He had felt that way for a very long time after he had lost the use of his legs. He also knew that unless his people could rebuild their hope, the clan was doomed to become extinct.

"Jake, we must go to Ralu's aunt and uncle," Neytiri said quietly for only him to hear. "We will talk with them but not thank them for Ralu. It is _Omatikaya_ custom that accepting responsibility for another's child is thanking Eywa for being deemed worthy of the child. As you have noticed, our children are not as plentiful as the fruits of the trees. Being given a child to care for is a sacred trust. As I do not see Ansita's sister with them, she may have been injured or killed. Hopefully she is off helping others. Thanking them for allowing Ralu to be ours would add to the pain they are already feeling. I'm sure they would have liked to have kept her. Ea'u'tey, her uncle, was very close to his brother."

"I understand. What is Ralu's aunt's name?"

"Tshari."

The three of them made their way through the clan members gathered into smaller groups. Most groups had at least one injured person, several groups had more.

When Neytiri sat down, her legs crossed, Jake did likewise. He noticed that Ralu stood until both he and Neytiri were seated and then sat down between, but slightly behind them.

"I see you," Neytiri intoned to Tshari and Ea'u'tey.

After they both responded to Neytiri, Jake added his formal greeting which was accepted in kind. Ralu was not addressed, nor did she speak. Everyone seemed a little stiff to Jake. Neytiri did all of the talking for their part, while Tshari seemed to do the most of the talking for Ralu's former family. When Ea'u'tey addressed a question directly to Jake he was caught a little off guard.

"When will searchers for new home return?"

In all the confusion Jake had completely forgotten about Ell'a'u and her search parties. Recovering quickly he replied, "They were to be back before nightfall. The earth…ground shaking may change that."

"I hope they return sooner rather than later," he added, now worried about the searchers as well as the hunting party that had left earlier that morning. He knew Ell'a'u and Tey'bar were capable, even if they didn't have a lot of experience.

"It is important for _Omatikaya_ to find new home quickly," Ea'u'tey added as he looked around at his fellow clan members. We must have daily routine, to heal the mind as well as the body."

"Yes you are quite right. The sooner the better from the looks of things."

"You will find the people their new home. For _Toruk Macto_ this should be easy to do."

Ea'u'tey's last statement was given with what could only be called a smirk. A facial expression that he had only recently learned to recognize among the Na'vi. He didn't get the feeling that Ea'u'tey was making fun of him. It was more of a comment on him not feeling qualified to be their leader.

When the conversation ended, after all the adults had risen, Ralu went to her aunt and uncle, hugging each in turn. Without saying anything Neytiri turned and led Jake and Ralu away. Jake was just starting to get used to not saying anything when leaving someone's presence as was the clan's custom. He still felt a little awkward about it. Joining someone's presence was usually accompanied by profuse greetings. Saying nothing upon parting seemed a bit odd.

"We should try to speak with all of the injured and their families, see who can travel and who cannot," Neytiri suggested as soon as they reached the middle of the gathering area. "Any orphans that have not been taken in will need to be provided for."

"Ralu, you should circulate among the other children. Get a sense of how they are feeling," Neytiri added, after she stopped and squatted so that she and Ralu were eye to eye. "Possibly you could get them to play some games to ease their fears."

"Yes, I can do that. I'm sure some of them will be hungry as well. We will see if there is any food to be found close by."

"That would be good. Find Eu'ta'o or Tau'san. Tell them Jake said to go with you so you will not be alone. The forest animals will be very agitated after what happened. You will want to avoid them."

"Yes mother," Ralu replied in the suffering voice all children learned to use from an early age. The smile on her lips and in her eyes betrayed the tone in her voice.

"Brat! Go and do what you are told," Neytiri answered affectionately.

"She will get a much better sense of how the other children are handling all of this. We will learn the same from the adults."

"Should we do this together or separately?"

"Separately would be better. That way we can talk to nearly everybody in half the time."

"Then let's get started," Jake agreed.

For the next two hours Neytiri and Jake made their way among the people, talking with the injured, and the tired. They were both relieved to find very few serious injuries. The fact that they were able to give their brothers and sisters reason for hope lifted their own spirits in return. Jake received a lot of questions from young teenagers as to when hunter training would resume. He took this as a good sign. By far the most common question they encountered centered on finding a new home. Jake was more than a little frustrated as he tried to explain earthquakes as the people wanted to know what caused the stone arches to collapse.

Figuring Jake would be occupied for a while longer Neytiri sought out her mother. Catching Mo'at's eye she angled her head so that her mother would know that she wanted to talk with her. Finding a quiet spot Neytiri sat patiently waiting for her mother to join her. After talking with Ralu's aunt she had some questions that her mother might be able to answer. Mo'at joined her minutes later, sitting directly in front of Neytiri so that they could talk quietly without being easily overheard.

"I wanted to talk with you about Ralu," Neytiri began once Mo'at was settled comfortably. "Although Tshari didn't come right out and say it, she intimated that Ralu had a special gift, that she was a special child. I also felt that she and Ea'u'tey didn't quite know how to deal with this gift. She seemed almost nervous about it, as if it made them uncomfortable."

"What do you think? Ralu has been with you for the best part of a night and a day."

"She is very smart, very clever, especially for such a young age. I don't feel that she uses her abilities in an underhanded or deceitful way. She does use them to get what she wants, but there is pride in her that won't allow her to abuse her abilities. Of this I am also certain; she has great empathy for those who are suffering. She seems to be able to sense pain, pain on the inside."

"What is it that you want me to tell you? That you are correct in your observations. You already know this in your mind and in your heart."

"She seems to have a special tie to Jake. I saw for myself just how close that connect is a few hours ago."

Neytiri went on to tell her mother what she had witnessed earlier.

"Are you jealous of the tie between them?" Mo'at asked when Neytiri had finished relating the healing that Ralu had brought to Jake.

"No, I love them both too much for that to be the case. If anything it brings me great joy to know that they are of one heart. Ralu isn't something that has come between us. If anything she is bringing us closer together. She and the other children are our hope for the future. Having her has awakened my desires for Jake and me to have as many children as Eywa will bless us with. I never thought I would feel this way. I want to feel life growing inside me, feel the pleasure of feeding our son or daughter at my breast. Watch Jake's face light up with love and pride for what we have made between us."

For several seconds Mo'at sat in stunned silence. Neytiri had always been more warrior than nurturer. To realize that she had both qualities in her warmed her heart beyond measure.

"I'm not quite certain how to respond to you," Mo'at finally managed. "I was always afraid that you might be too wrapped up providing for our people that you wouldn't have time for a child of your own. This is one of the reasons that I felt it would be good for you and Jake to have Ralu. It would give you a child to love and cherish. This would strengthen both yours and Jake's connection to the clan, to its roots, and to its future."

"I once told Jake that when I first met him I hated all Sky People, but that over time he taught me as much or more than I taught him. Every day he teaches me that it's who you are, not what you come from that matters. The fact that the Sky People made Jake's body has nothing to do with who he is. Jake is my life-mate, There will never be another."

"When I first met Jake, tasted his blood, I too sensed something in him. My visions were equally divided between destroyer and savior. I could never get a clear picture of what he would bring. But that is the nature of dreams."

"Dreams are what I ultimately wanted to talk with you about. I think Ralu is a seer. She says that she sees things in her dreams. Things that have not happened yet. Is it possible that she could have the gift of true foresight?"

"Yes, it is possible. This I did not foresee myself. It is something to be considered with great care. If the child truly has the gift of foresight we will have to work with her closely. The gift can be a terrible burden if not properly channeled."

"Mother, you and I both know that I do not possess this gift," Neytiri added, placing her hand on her mother's arm. "I have insight, feelings, but I do not see what the future may bring. Maybe Ralu was meant to be ours so that you could teach her in a way that I never could."

"Neytiri, last daughter of my womb, Eywa does not always reveal everything when it suits us. The future will bring what it will bring for all of us, and that includes you. We will watch and we will see."

"Buck, if there aren't any cracks in the lab walls we may be able to get normal atmosphere restored inside the lab," Gary said turning his attention away from Norm and Karen after discussing arrangements for Andy's body. "The main door to the lab can be turned into a mini internal airlock. A built-in precaution should any of the avatars or drivers become infected with something contagious. I'll activate that on my way back to the Ops Center. If either of the airlock doors to the training area can be sealed I should be able to have the air recycled within an hour."

"If the doors aren't sprung out of their frames I should have both closed and sealed by the time you get to Ops," Buck answered. Giving Abby's shoulders a comforting squeeze he started for the door to the prep area.

"I want to check on Susan. See how she's doing," Norm told Karen after Gary and Zoe left for the Ops Center.

"Good, so do I."

Leaving the others they quickly made their way to the prep area where then found Susan sitting up on one of the gurneys. The clone was laying on the other gurney, covered up to his neck with a sheet, a restraining strap across his chest.

"How's the patient?" Karen asked looking at Max.

"Which one?"

"Well, I meant Susan, but I guess you could fill us in on both," Karen answered, gesturing to the clone.

"I'm fine," Susan replied irritably before Max could answer. "If these two would just back off and give me a little breathing room I'd be perfect."

"Well you sound like yourself, but your face looks a little pale."

"She may have a mild concussion," Ron added, looking frustrated and concerned at the same time. "She should have an MRI."

"I don't need any damn MRI. I just need to get back to work."

"Just sit there for a few more minutes," Max demanded before turning back to Karen and Norm.

"As to the clone, he's breathing and all of his vital signs are normal. He appears to be in some sort of induced coma. I need to do some further testing. There are several large data files about him that I have to go through. We really don't have any precedent here. It's not like an avatar that is essentially inert until his driver links up. For now he doesn't seem to be in any immediate danger. When I know something, I'll let everyone else know."

"Both doors on the outside airlock are sealed," Buck announced after entering the room and closing the inside door. "The outer door is a little stiff to open or close, but it will seal."

"Let's hope that there aren't any other leaks. It will make using the pods much easier," Norm responded.

"I'll give Gary a call, let him know to start recycling the air," Buck added as he left the room.

"Susan, if you feel up to it, try and see if you can stand," Max said turning his attention back to her.

[xxxxx]

Zoe Fischer had been on Pandora for just over three months. Never once during her entire training program had she imagined anything even remotely like what had actually happened to her once she reached Pandora. The first month at Hell's Gate she had lived in a perpetual state of awe and bewilderment. Everything was new. It was nothing like training. By the end of the second month she was starting to feel comfortable with her daily routine. She had made a few female friends on the administrative staff. By the end of the third month she, along with a sizeable number of the other support staff, came face to face with what was going on outside the walls of their compound. The destruction of Hometree was the most horrific scene she had ever witnessed. Never in her entire life had she felt so ashamed to be part of anything capable of such an unspeakable act. If she had not watched the destruction in real time on the monitors in the Ops Center she would not have believed what the RDA had done to the Na'vi.

The next few days were a nightmare from which she could not wake. When Quaritch left with his air and ground forces to destroy the Well of Souls, she just wanted to find some deep dark hole to crawl into. She couldn't face anyone, least of all herself. She felt so guilty every time she looked around her. Just thinking about the number of Na'vi that must have died was enough to tie her stomach in knots. She desperately wanted to do something to right the terrible wrong that had been done. When Jake, Neytiri and some other Na'vi warriors came to Hell's Gate, after Quaritch had been defeated, she realized that the best way for her to personally repay the Na'vi was to stay and help in whatever way she could. Her knowledge of what was stockpiled and where it was stored would be important to the other humans who remained on Pandora.

At the time Zoe didn't figure that her expertise in geology or volcanoes would be of much use to anyone. Now, it looked like it might be extremely useful. Walking with Gary back to the Ops Center she felt a little tingle run up and down her spine. She had never been particularly comfortable around men in a one on one situation. She was thirty-three years old, had never had a serious boyfriend, let alone a lover. At five-ten she wasn't short by any means, but next to Gary's six-six she felt small. His physical dominance added to her general unease.

Zoe told herself not to be intimidated, or nervous. In all the time she had been here, Gary had never paid any real attention to her. He had been polite when they met in the hall or the cafeteria. He hadn't flirted with her or made any moves in her direction. Thinking back she didn't recall seeing him with any woman in a personal sort of way. Maybe he didn't care for women, on an intimate personal level. 'Now you're being ridiculous,' she scolded herself as they entered the Ops Center. It was a little spooky with all of the window shutters closed. Just the glow of the command consoles giving off light.

"I think I'll open a few of the shutters," Gary said as he walked towards the main console. "I like to see out as much as possible. It's dark for half the day, so we might as well enjoy the light while we can."

Zoe hadn't said ten words to him the entire time they spent walking from the lab to the Ops Center. Not being completely oblivious to people's feelings and emotions, Gary guessed that she was uncomfortable being alone with him. Not wanting her to be nervous around him he tried to keep their conversations as light as possible. When she had hesitated on entering the center he decided opening the shutters might make her more at ease. Sensing some of the tension drain out of her as the room brightened told him he had made the right choice.

"I'm going to check on our link to the communications satellite while you start your geological survey. We'll leave the comm-link channel open in case anyone needs to reach us."

"It should take about an hour to get a full scan of the continent," she informed him as she sat down at the console she regularly worked at. "That is assuming the quake hasn't damaged any of the computer systems."

"The quick diagnostic checks I ran just after the quake showed only minor disruptions in the network. We should be ok."

Gary returned the tentative smile Zoe sent him just before she turned her full attention to the console's heads up display. While he ran a full set of communication diagnostics he watched her work. She was a pretty woman. Her shoulder length brown hair showcased an oval face with thick eyebrows and dark blue eyes. She was on the thin side but not without noticeable feminine curves. He had noticed her almost from day one. Since she didn't seem inclined to make conversation he had not pressed her to do so. He had been shocked when he had been asked his opinion on her remaining on Pandora. Like many of the admin and science staff she had been visibly devastated when the Na'vi's home had been destroyed. If he had been asked to guess, he would have figured she would be Earth bound on the first available shuttle. As it turned out her knowledge of geology would be extremely useful. Things could get very dicey if they were hit with another quake.

Several warning indicators had him focusing his attention on his diagnostic test results. The recycling of the air in the lab was about twenty-five percent complete. So far it looked as if the lab was sealed from the outside. Concentrating his attention on his monitors he didn't notice the speculative looks Zoe cast his way more than once while she was waiting for the surface, sub-terrain and thermal images to come back from the geosynchronous satellite positioned directly above Hell's Gate.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

While Jake was moving from group to group, he mentally kept track of who Neytiri had talked with so he didn't cover the same clan members a second time. When he noticed her talking with Mo'at, he wondered why she looked so serious. Her body seemed tense to him, now that he was getting better at reading her body language. When he heard Ralu's laugh he looked around to where a dozen young children were playing something akin to foosball. They looked almost normal, except when one would glance in the direction of the adults. The somber mood in the gathering area was like a dark cloud overhead, blocking out the sunshine.

The fact that he had discovered that Norm's avatar was safe and unharmed, lifted some of the darkness that had been hanging over his head since returning to the gathering area after the earthquake. It was one less thing for him to worry about.

Just as he was about to go to Neytiri, as she and her mother appeared to have concluded their conversation, Tey'bar and his hunting party returned. A hush fell over the area as all activity stopped and everyone turned their attention to the hunters. It appeared that all the hunters had returned but he wasn't absolutely sure. Deciding Neytiri could wait, he quickly made his way to where Tey'bar had dismounted from his direhorse.

'I see you," he intoned when he reached Tey'bar.

"I see you," Tey'bar responded. He looked a little stressed but didn't appear to be hurt.

"Many _Omatikaya_ were hurt, several were killed, when the ground shook causing several of the stone arches to collapse. We have tended to all our brothers and sisters except those buried beneath stones too large to move. Where were you when the ground shook?"

"We were deep in the forest. The trees swayed heavily but none fell over. After it was over the animals were confused, as if they not know which way to run. We were able to kill several hexapede's before they regained their normal senses. With the others we killed before the ground shook we have enough meat to feed the clan for three or four days. We gathered enough fruit for two days as it does not last longer after being picked."

"I'm happy none of you were hurt. Go and find your families. Get some rest. Some of the others will take care of the food you have brought back with you."

Neytiri reached Jake's side just after Tey'bar sent the rest of his hunting party off to find their families.

"I see you," she said warmly to Tey'bar when he turned back to Jake and her.

"I see you, Neytiri. Has anyone heard from Ell'a'u?"

"No we haven't," Jake answered. "Since they were all on their ikran's they should not have been endangered by the ground shaking."

"Ell'a'u is smart. She and the rest of her search party should return soon," Neytiri added, trying to ease the worry that showed clearly on Tey'bar's face. "Go, find your family. I'm sure they have been worried about you as well."

"He is not going to settle until Ell'a'u returns," Neytiri said after Tey'bar had left in search of his family. "I think the two will choose each other as life-mates, and soon."

"Yes, I get that feeling as well. Are you alright?" he asked, searching Neytiri's face for any signs of distress. "You seemed to be tense when you were speaking with your mother."

"I had some questions about Ralu that I wanted to ask mother. We can talk of this later." Neytiri said knowing Jake would ask what the questions were about. She wanted to save that for later when they could talk privately.

"All right. I'm going to help prepare the kills Tey'bar's hunters brought back. Some of the meat should be cooked now. Many of the clan are hungry. Having food in their bellies should help them feel better. They are going to need their strength. Moving to a new home, especially with the injured, is not going to be easy."

"I will see that the cooking fires are ready."

"Neytiri…I love you," Jake said as she turned to go.

"I love you too," Neytiri replied when she turned back. After gently brushing her lips against his, she briefly touched her forehead to his before walking off in the direction of the cooking fires.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

Zoe stared at the images on her heads-up display, barely able to believe what they were showing her. "This is impossible," she mumbled.

"What's impossible?"

Zoe was visibly startled by the sound of Gary's voice coming from directly behind her. She hadn't realized he was standing that close to her.

"Take it easy. I didn't mean to spook you," Gary said soothingly as he placed his hands gently on her shaking shoulders.

At his touch she felt the muscles under his hands go rigid. His touch was light and as his fingers began to massage the tension out of her shoulders she felt that tension move to somewhere deep inside her. The ache that was slowly building was desire, but she didn't recognize it.

"Jesus. If I wasn't looking at it I wouldn't have believed it possible," Gary said, his hands still massaging her shoulders as he looked at the images on her displays.

"This continent has been split into three pieces centered at what used to be the open pit mine." When Gary leaned in to get a closer look at the images, she felt her pulse quicken. His hands where still gently rubbing her shoulders, which by now had gone completely lax.

"Can you overly the image with a grid scale? The area that used to be the mine looks considerably larger than I remember. It's hard to tell now that the whole area is covered with water."

"How's that?" Zoe asked after zooming in on what used to be the mine.

"Good…That's what I thought. The surface area of the water is at least ten times larger than that of the mine. Does the analysis give any estimate on the depth of the water where the mine used to be?"

"Five thousand meters, plus or minus fifteen hundred meters," Zoe answered after consulting one of the fact tables on a side display.

"That's not possible. The mine was barely three hundred meters at its deepest point. What's the average diameter of this new body of water?"

"About twenty thousand meters, just a little over twelve miles."

"From the relative scale it looks like the breaks between the three sections of the continent are between two and three miles wide."

"Yes and the distance is increasing," Zoe added after bringing up a graph showing the separation of the sections over the past hour.

"Do you have any data of the depths of Pandora's oceans?"

"It's here somewhere, give me a second."

"Maximum recorded depth is seven thousand two hundred meters. Average depth is about five thousand."

"Well that's it then. This continent has split into three distinct sub continents."

"From all the data I am getting back from the satellite I would have to agree."

"Looks as if the RDA is out a couple of excavators, and a fleet of ore trucks. They won't be doing any mining here for quite some time."

"Those excavators are now at the bottom of the ocean floor. Even if they could salvage them from that depth, the excavators and ore trucks would be useless after being submerged in the corrosive water."

"It will be at least six years before new mining equipment could arrive from Earth. Assuming they knew about it right now."

"Do you think the RDA might just abandon mining here?" Zoe asked glancing over her shoulder to look at Gary's face.

The minute his deep brown eye's locked onto hers she felt the world around her fade away. She could tell that he was staring at her mouth. It made her lips tingle. Involuntarily she brushed the tip of her tongue over them.

When Zoe ran her tongue over her lips, Gary swallowed hard, twice. Suddenly she was totally female and he wanted her. Removing his hands from her shoulders he shoved them in his pockets before he framed her face with them and captured those inviting lips with his own. Breaking through the sexual haze he struggled to remember the last question she had asked.

"I honestly don't know what the RDA is going to do when they find out what a shambles their mining operation is in," Gary answered, keeping his eyes locked with Zoe's while his hands stayed lodged in his pockets. "Two significant factors are in play here. One, the RDA probably needs to continue mining unobtanium to survive economically. Two, can the RDA take this big a financial hit and still survive. The reality is they are not going to get any more shipments of unobtanium for a minimum of six years after the Venture Star arrives back on Earth. More likely it will be seven or eight years."

"Hopefully the star ships that arrive here over the next five years will just turn around and go back to Earth. Without any means on mining unobtanium there would be no reason to leave anyone here on Pandora."

"If they did, those people would probably just go crazy with nothing to do."

"Is that what's going to happen to us?" Zoe asked, trying to figure out what to do about the feelings he had awakened in her.

"I hope not, Zoe. Honestly, I just don't know what is in store for all of us."

"Thank you for being honest with me. I prefer that to being placated with false assurances."

"We should gather up as much detail on what's happened as we can. Then we can explain it to the others all at once."

"All right, that sounds like a good idea. It will take me about twenty minutes to summarize the data and images. I'll copy everything to a VPC when I'm done."

"That will give me enough time to check on how far along the lab is on purifying its air and finish the rest of my diagnostics."

A quick check of the lab's air monitors showed Gary that the lab would be usable without the need for exopacks shortly. From the data provided by the other air monitors located throughout the complex, a simulation routine estimated the location of five probable breaches to outside air within the complex. Three were improperly sealed doors and two were cracks surrounding the intake pipe for the geothermal generator. Patching the cracks would have to be done on both the inside and outside walls to be certain that it held properly. The avatars should be to apply the outside patch in a little less than an hour. All in all, the quake had done very little damage to the complex. The refinery and retaining wall were another matter entirely.

True to her word, twenty minutes later Zoe was standing in front of Gary's console, a PVC held against her breasts.

"Ready when you are," she said as she watched him close down his diagnostic routines.

"We won't need these damn exopacks in the lab. The rest of the complex should be back to normal air in five or six hours. Assuming the simulation routine nailed the locations of the breaches correctly."

"That's good news. At least we won't have to sleep in them."

"True, but keep one close by. We don't know if we will get another quake or another leak will spring up somewhere."

"Not to worry. I keep one with me at all times."

"Same here," Gary replied. "We tend to forget just how hostile and deadly Pandora can be. Even though it looks beautiful, almost normal, something as simple as breathing the air can kill you."

"True, very true," Zoe replied with a small sigh.

[xxxxx]

Once Norm and Karen were sure Susan was going to be all right they returned to the lab for the very unpleasant task of dealing with Andy's body. Actually they had to deal with both his human and avatar bodies. The RDA never shipped dead bodies back to Earth. They maintained a small crematorium in one corner of the hanger bay to dispose of the remains of anyone who died on Pandora.

While Norm and Karen were checking on Susan, Buck and Kyle removed Andy's body from the pod, placing it in a black body bag and onto a stretcher.

"Is everyone ready?" Buck asked when Norm and Karen entered the lab.

When everyone nodded or voiced their readiness, Kyle and Buck hoisted the stretcher and started for the hanger bay. The trip was short; no one spoke along the way. The longest part of the trip was walking across the huge hanger bay that was almost completely deserted of aircraft and AMP suits. The doors were sealed to keep out aerial predators. Now that the perimeter wall was partially breached hopefully if would keep out those that walked or crawled as well.

It was impossible not to see Andy's avatar sticking out from under an AMP suit that lay toppled face down on the hangar floor. Everyone felt a chill run through them, especially the drivers.

"As soon as we have taken care of Andy's human body we will come back for his avatar," Buck said as the little procession passed by the fallen avatar.

Karen had been trained in the operation of the crematorium, but this was the first time she had actually used it. She hoped it would be the last. Setting the stretcher on the floor, Kyle and Buck waited for he to open the door and slide out the metal slab. Norm was glad to see that the slab was big enough to accommodate an avatar. He figured he wasn't the only one relieved by the fact that they wouldn't need to sever the avatar's legs in order to get the body into the cremation chamber.

"Would anyone like to say some last words for Andy?" Buck asked after he and Kyle had placed the body bag on the cantilevered slab.

"I will," Norm said after several seconds of awkward silence. He felt at least something should be said by someone. For no one to speak would be a sad commentary on their lives.

"I did not know Andy Truman very well. Having been on Pandora a little over three months, with more than half of that time spent at Site 26, I didn't really get to spend much time with him until the last few days. He impressed me with his respect and feelings for the Na'vi. He never seemed too busy to answer questions. He was always willing to help me improve my Na'vi language skills. I don't recall ever meeting anyone who didn't like him. His life was ended simply because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Something that could happen to any one of us, as avatars or as humans. We will miss him. He was a good man. May his spirit join with Eywa and he forever be a part of the planet he loved so much."

"Does anyone else wish to speak?" Buck asked.

When no one responded Buck nodded at Karen. Everyone watched as the slab slowly retracted into the cremation chamber and the steel door closed silently. A few seconds later the sound of gas jets kicking in could be heard through the walls of the chamber.

"The process takes about thirty minutes," Karen said into the silence hanging over the group.

"Buck, if you and Norm would push the floor hoist over to the fallen AMP suit I can try to right it. At the very least I will be able to lift it off the avatar and out of the way," Karen asked as she stepped away from the crematorium. "It's just over there, against the far wall."

"Rocky, would you get a motorized ordinance carrier? We can use it to move Andy's avatar to the crematorium. It will be easier that trying to carry it."

"We are going to check on the other avatars. Make sure they are ok." Abby informed Karen as she and Judy headed towards the fenced in area of the hanger bay.

Karen waited at the toppled AMP suit for the guys to arrive with the hoist and ordinance carrier. When she noticed the pool of blood beneath the avatar she felt her stomach churn. Clenching her jaw she looked away trying desperately not to picture Norm's avatar in her mind. She knew that every time he linked up she was going to be uneasy until he was safely out of the pod. She also knew that he would have to go out again, that he wanted to go out. All she could do was ask him to be careful, that and pray.

With Karen directing, they were able to hoist the AMP suit and rotate it out of the way. She had decided not to try and set it back on its feet. It took all four of them to lift the avatar onto the carrier. She opted for one of its legs, keeping her eyes averted from the crushed rib cage. By the time they reached the crematorium with the avatar it was finished with Andy's body. When the steel door opened they all felt a blast of residual hot air.

"Be careful not to touch the slab. It will still be quite hot," Karen warned as she cycled the slab out to the waiting position.

Once the avatar body was on the slab Karen started the cremation cycle for the second time in less than an hour. As there was nothing more to say Rocky drove the ordinance carrier back to where it was normally parked.

"I feel pretty hollowed out," Karen said to Norm as they walked back towards the fenced in area.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. This has been a real pisser of a day," he replied, taking her hand in his.

"Are the avatar's secure?" Norm asked when they reached the cage as Judy and Abby came out and closed the gate.

"Yes, they are in normal stasis," Judy replied.

"Let's go see what Gary and Zoe have discovered about the earthquake," Karen suggested. "Maybe they will have some good news for a change."

"Don't count on it," Rocky muttered as he led the way out of the hanger bay.

[xxxxx]

Gary and Zoe met up with Norm and the others just outside the temporary airlock to the lab. It took several minutes to process all nine of them through the airlock, three at a time. Once inside, after checking the air quality Gary removed his exopack, the others following his lead.

"I was really starting to get tired of that thing," Zoe commented. "I don't know how the security forces wore it for days at a time."

"It was that or die," Buck replied. "One of those easy choices."

"Yes, I see your point. Guess I'm a bit spoiled spending most of my time inside the complex."

"Everyone, keep your exopacks close at hand," Gary ordered. "Even though the quake did minimal damage to the complex, new breaches could happen at any time."

Several good natured, and some not so good natured, acknowledgements reverberated through the lab.

Max, Susan and Ron entered the lab after Gary stuck his head in the prep room and asked them to join the group.

"Before we get to Zoe's report, I wanted to let you know that we should be able to get normal, earth normal, air restored throughout the complex in about five hours. There is one patch that needs to be applied on the outside. I'll leave it up to you drivers to decide who and how many of you should go out. I think at least three of you should go at a minimum. A few doors need to be resealed. A patch on the inside, opposite the outside patch, then we should be good to go. With that said, I'll let Zoe have the floor."

"I'm not sure where to start," Zoe began nervously. "The long and the short of it is that our continent has split into three sections."

"You're joking, right?" Judy asked, a stunned expression spreading across her face. Zoe now had everyone's full and complete attention.

"No, I'm afraid not. As you may or may not know, this was the largest continent on the planet. That's why the RDA chose it for their mining operation and base of operations. The open pit mine was the common point for the three fracture lines. Like a hub with spokes. We, here at Hell's Gate, are in the eastern section. Our new west coast is about ten kilometers west of here. Two of the fracture lines run pretty much north to south right through the middle of the open pit mine. Or what was the mine, as it isn't going to be used for that any more. From there another fracture line runs southwest, skirting below the northern mountains, and then northwest to divide the western part of the continent in two. Our eastern section has about twenty five percent of the original land mass, the northwest section about forty percent and the southwest section has the remaining thirty five percent. Right now the divisions between the sections are about three miles across, and getting wider. The depth of the water between the sections is five thousand meters plus. Each section is now completely independent of the other sections, each free to move on its own."

"The Well of Souls is in the northwest section, along with the Hallelujah Mountains?" Norm asked.

"Yes, that's right. For the moment the Omaticaya should be safe."

"What do you mean, for the moment?"

"I'll get back to that, but first I wanted to give you some more background on the geology involved. Think of the continent, as it was before it split, as a thick sheet of ice floating on a thin layer of water. Imagine the mining operation as an icepick that repeatedly jabbed at the same spot. At some point the ice fractures and the pieces separate. Because the continent was essentially one big deposit of unobtanium it split vertically from the surface all the way down to the mantle. That's the layer over the liquid core of molten rock and metal that makes up the center of the planet. Once the land mass split, water from the oceans forced its way into the crevice, further pushing the land masses apart. The weight of billions and billions of gallons of water forced the crack to spread wider and deeper until the crack reached all the way to the ocean floor."

"The magnetic fields flowing through the unobtanium are trying to hold the sections together. At some point, equilibrium will be reached and the sections should stop moving apart. I don't know just how long that will take or how far apart the sections will be when equilibrium is reached."

"Are we talking miles, or hundreds of miles?" Karen asked, looking around the group.

"Right at the moment I don't have any way of knowing. What I would like to do is anchor a Geo-Pack to each of the three sections, or sub continents. These packs contain GPS locators along with other instruments and a satellite uplink to transmit the data back here. From that data I should be able to calculate when equilibrium will be reached."

"You mean fly to each to each section, mount the packs," Rocky added, stating the obvious.

"Yes. If we don't have good, accurate data, all we can do is wait and watch. There is another reason that we need to get Geo-Packs out into the field. The packs measure temperature and other atmospheric variables. It is almost a certainty that we are going to have some major changes to our normal weather patterns."

"Why so?" Trudy wanted to know.

"Basically, because of all the heat and moisture being released into the atmosphere. The magnetic energy that is trying to hold the sections together is being dissipated by the water. Like an electric current, this dissipation is generating huge amounts of heat. Coupled with the freshly exposed mantle at the bottom of the fractures the temperature of the water between the sections is close to forty degrees Celsius, instead of a normal twenty degrees. This is acting as a heat engine pumping vast quantities of hot water vapor into the air. Water vapor that is high in hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur based compounds."

"You're just full of good news, aren't you?" Kyle asked rhetorically.

"I'm sorry…"

"It's not Zoe's fault, Kyle. She's just trying to give us all the facts," Gary interrupted.

"I wasn't blaming you, Zoe," Kyle said, looking a bit sheepish. "Shoot the messenger, that sort of thing."

"I'm afraid it gets worse," Zoe said, lifting her shoulders apologetically. "This huge increase in moisture is sure to spawn some gigantic electrical storms. I'm afraid we may be in for storms the likes of which have never been seen on Pandora. As bad as that is there is another effect that could be potentially lethal to all life on all three sections."

"A planet's magnetic field protects life on the surface by deflecting cosmic rays and high energy photons from its star so that they do not strike the surface. Think of them as high velocity bullets raining down from space. Earth's magnetic field is fairly uniform affording good protection. Pandora's is not. The magnetic fields vary widely across the planet's surface. The high concentrations of unobtanium having a lot to do with the field fluctuations. Now that the continent has been split up, the smaller sections will not have the same level of protection. Phenomenon that have been recorded are holes or vortexes in the magnetic field that act as funnels or conduits for this high energy radiation from space. Anything caught in one of these vortexes is instantly irradiated."

"Is there any way to predict where these vortexes will exist?" Abby asked in the total silence that had taken over the lab.

"No, none at all. Previously they were almost nonexistent on this continent. Another reason this site was selected by the RDA."

"Is there any way to detect them? I wouldn't what to just walk into one of these damn things," Buck asked.

"Possibly, but they could form instantly, last for a second or a day, and then just disappear. There is no way of predicting just where and when they will form."

"What happens if one forms right here?" Susan asked, here skin color not looking much better than it had just after she came to.

"If it was large enough to encompass the whole base then we would likely all die. The high energy particles ionize your cells. In effect short circuiting our brains. The only comfort I can give is that we wouldn't even know it. Our brains would be fried before we felt the slightest sensation."

"Not much of a comfort," Norm put in. "Will the Na'vi be at the same risk?"

"Yes, their bodies are just as fragile as ours are when it comes to high energy particles."

"We are going to have to warn them," Norm added, the sickness he was feeling coming though in his voice.

"How? What would we warn them about?" Judy asked. "All we would do is make them paranoid. 'Watch out for the invisible killer photons.' I'm sorry Norm, but there isn't really anything we can do for them. Or ourselves for that matter."

"Maybe not about the vortexes, but we can warn them about the changes in the weather. Damn it, they don't even have a home at the moment."

"You're both right," Buck interrupted. "We can give them a heads up about potentially violent storms. As to the vortexes, I don't see any way we can warn them that will do any good."

"Zoe, anything else we should all know about?" Gary asked when the room fell silent.

"No, not at the moment."

"Unless someone has a better plan," Gary began. "First, we need to get the patches applied and the doors sealed. Once that's done the air scrubbers can make it fit to breathe in about four hours. Five tops."

"Rocky, you, the four remaining avatars, and Zoe should take one of the Sampsons and place the Geo-Packs while the weather is still good and we have plenty of daylight. Norm, you should go out and warn Jake and the Na'vi. The rest of us will stay here and monitor operations as best we can."

"Any objections or amendments?"

"Ok, we have a plan," Gary concluded when no one spoke up.

"Rocky, you and I can seal the doors that are breached while the drivers are linking with their avatars. We should have enough time before you need meet them in the hanger bay."

"Norm, be careful out there," Karen said after Gary and Rocky left the lab and the other drivers began to power up their pods. "I'm growing awfully fond of you. Not sure what I would do without you."

"I'll be back. That's a promise. It might be awhile, try not to worry."

"If you get yourself killed, I will never speak to you again." Even though it was an old cliché, Karen managed to smile when she said it.

"Kiss me goodbye so that I'll be sure to remember what's waiting for me when I come back."

With as much nerves as desire she wrapped her arms around his neck and let the kiss spin out until she thought her bones would melt. 'Can't do better than that while standing with your clothes on', she thought as she eased away from him.

"That should do the trick. Start the cycle," Norm added as he lay out in the pod and lowered the sensor array.


	5. Chapter 4

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Chapter 4**

In a phenomenon that was now very familiar, Norm let his mind rush through the multi-colored, twisting tunnel of light as his consciousness flowed into his Na'vi body. His avatar awoke with a jolt as the lights in his mind flared to intense blinding white, and abruptly vanished. The closest he could describe the sensation in human terms was bolting out a sound sleep to find yourself wide awake with no recollection of having awoken. Sitting up, Norm stretched is arms while rolling his shoulders and neck to loosen the customary kinks and knots that formed during periods of complete inactivity.

Glancing around he instantly became aware of the quiet that hung in the air. He could see dozens of clan members huddled in small groups. They were quiet, almost lifeless. They reminded him of statues more than people. Normally at mid-day the clan would be a beehive of activity. Voices would be loud; songs would float on the air along with the laughter of children. Even the forest seemed eerily quiet to his ears which were finely tuned to such sounds. When the smell of cooking meat registered in his mind, he followed its scent and saw Jake gathered with a few other clan members around a fire pit.

After getting to his feet and stretching his legs he started to make his way through the small groups of clan members sprinkled throughout the gathering area. He felt mildly uncomfortable as everyone seemed to be watching him with less than friendly eyes. Looking closer he realized that those eyes were filled with pain and misery, and something else he had never seen in them before, despair. Unable to look at their faces, he quickened his pace as he moved towards Jake.

"Hello." A young girl stood directly in front of him. Her use of the English word brought him up short as he all but ran over her. He had been looking at Jake, not expecting a child to cross his path.

"Hello to you too," he replied in English. As he had a fondness for children he squatted down so that they were face to face.

"I am Ralu, daughter of Jakesully and Neytiri," she announced, switching back to Na'vi.

At first he thought the child was playing a joke on him. The expression of curiosity on her face as she studied him made him realize she was serious. Knowing for certain that she wasn't their biological daughter, he assumed she must have been referring to some sort of honorary title.

"I see you, Ralu, daughter of Jakesully and Neytiri," he answered formally, adding small flourishes with his hands. "I was just going to talk with Jake…your father. Is your mother around?"

"Yes, she went to fetch more meat for cooking. There she comes now," Ralu added pointing to Neytiri as she headed towards the fire pit from the opposite direction.

When he stood Ralu slipped her small hand in his as though it belonged there. A little startled by the gesture, he glanced down to see her bight face smiling back up at him. Smiling back at her, he set off to add to the misery that hung in the air.

"Jake, do you have a minute?" he asked in English when he came up behind him.

The unexpected sound of Norm's voice had Jake bobbling the piece of meat he was cooking. His quick reflexes saved the meat from ending up in the fire. Jake handed the stick he was roasting the meat on to a woman standing beside him. Turning to embrace Norm, which had become their custom, Jake noticed Ralu standing beside Norm, her hand firmly gripping his.

"What you got there?" Jake asked him, pretending he didn't know.

"Your daughter, or so she says."

"Oh yeah, I thought she looked familiar," Jake answered, faking sudden recognition as he reached out to pinch her nose.

"Daddy thinks he's being funny, but I love him anyway." Letting go of him, Ralu grabbed Jakes arm and swung gracefully up to cling to his chest, her arm loosely wrapped around his neck.

"I can see that," he answered, a little pang of envy pushing its way into his heart. He had mostly gotten past the jealousy he had felt when Jake had been taken in by the _Omatikaya_, but the envy was still very much there. When Neytiri walked over to stand beside Jake the pang became an ache. Sighing internally he pushed the ache aside. There would be more than enough ache to go around.

"I see you," Neytiri said to Norm, when she noticed the light go out of his eyes. Norm had always preferred to greet in the traditional Na'vi way. She had developed a great deal of respect and fondness for Norm when she discovered his love for her people and all the Na'vi in general.

"I see you," Norm replied, his Na'vi as fluent as if he had been born among them.

"You are well?" Neytiri asked. She could tell from the expression on his face that he was trying very hard to hide what was troubling him.

"About as well as could be expected," he answered her, but his eyes had switched to Jake. She felt something unspoken pass between them.

"Ralu, run and get some of the other children to pass out food for those who cannot get it for themselves," Neytiri said as she reached out for her new daughter.

"That's a lame, but effective, excuse to get rid of me," Ralu added when she went to Neytiri.

"Yes it is. We will tell you all that you need to know. Now go. Gather up the other children. After you have seen to the injured, be sure and feed yourselves."

"Remember, I need to know everything, just everything," Ralu called out just before she scampered off.

"She's…something," Norm added as he watched her bound away.

"Yes, that she is," Jake answered. "Since I assume you're not just here for our fine cuisine, we should find some place where we can talk."

"Take some food with you," Neytiri suggested. "Both your bodies need nourishment."

"Neytiri, you need to listen to what I have to say. It affects all of us."

Consenting to Norm's request, Neytiri began to fix a leaf plate for herself as the men did likewise. Motioning to a large section of fallen arch Jake led Norm and Neytiri over so that he and Neytiri sat with their backs to the stone with Norm facing them.

"How many clan members did you lose?" Norm asked once he was seated.

"Fourteen known dead. Some are partially buried beneath the stones," Jake answered somberly. "Others that we do not yet know about may be buried completely. Another twenty have injuries of varying degrees."

"After everything the people have suffered through this was the last thing they needed." Neytiri sensed the conflicting emotions of sadness and anger in Norm. They very much mirrored her own.

"My brothers and sisters appreciate your concern," Neytiri added, placing a hand gently on Norm's knee for a few seconds.

"I'm assuming that the arches collapsed during the earthquake?"

"Yes they did," Jake answered. "Neytiri and I took some children and young hunters to a lake close by. We were at the lake when the quake hit. We lost one of the hunters when the water in the lake quickly drained into an opening at the bottom of the lake."

While Jake filled Norm in on the details of what they had experienced at the lake and when they returned to find many of their brothers and sisters dead or injured, Neytiri slipped her hand into his. Comfort for both, as was the custom of life-mates.

"What happened wasn't an earthquake, at least not in the sense of quakes back on Earth," Norm began. "What actually happened was this continent split into three separate pieces."

From the puzzled look on Neytiri's face, he knew that this was going to take some time to explain. Looking around he spotted a thin flat piece of stone about a foot in diameter. Quickly retrieving it he sat back down and set the stone on the ground between them.

"Assume this stone is where all the Na'vi live," he began. "This side here is the eastern sea, this area down here the plains. Up here are the Hallelujah Mountains. Right here in the center is where the Sky People mined for unobtanium."

With a smaller pointed stone, which he had retrieved with the flat stone, he began to chip away at the spot which represented the mine. After six good solid hits the flat stone broke apart into two pieces.

"This is essentially what has happened, except our land was broken into three pieces. The base the Sky People built is in the eastern piece. We are in the north western piece. There is also a separate piece to the south of us where most of the plains tribes live. The eastern piece is the smallest. The piece we are in is the largest. The piece to the south is in between. The pieces are separated by a two mile wide canyon filled with sea water."

"Are you telling us that the mining of unobtanium caused this to happen?" Jake asked after he had tried to absorb the enormity what Norm had just told them.

"That is our best guess. We can't be one hundred percent positive, but as all three sections had the mine as a point in common, it's pretty conclusive."

"The only way to reach the other clans it to fly?" Neytiri asked as she looked to Norm for confirmation.

"Yes, that is true. You can no longer get to them by direhorse or on foot. The site where Hometree stood is very close to where the western land was split in half."

"I can tell by your voice that is not all you came here to say," Jake added when Neytiri didn't question Norm further.

Norm did his best to relay all the details that Zoe had given them such a short time before. Jake and Neytiri interrupted several times trying to get a fuller understanding of what had happened and what would most likely happen in the future. Weary, and more than a little sick, he finished, telling them about everything but the deadly vortexes. He just didn't have the heart to bring it up when they both looked so devastated.

"Our immediate problem is finding shelter for the people to protect them against the storms you say are likely to come."

"Yes, Jake. That's correct. We don't know how soon these storms will begin, or how strong they may get. Zoe estimates that they will be bigger and stronger than anything in the past."

"Once when I was Ralu's age a storm lasted for ten days. It knocked down many trees, caused much flooding. It was impossible to do anything but stay in Hometree and wait for the storm to pass. We had to take care with food so that all would have a small amount each day."

"Flooding could be serious, Jake added thoughtfully. "If we get days and days of torrential rain there are going to be flash floods. We need to find someplace where that won't be a problem. Assuming these storms will be as strong, or stronger, than what Neytiri experienced, a new home, in a tree, may not be the best idea either."

"Neytiri, have the people ever lived in caves? Are there any caves to live in for that matter?"

"Some of the old songs tell of a time when our ancestors lived in mountain caves. Where those caves might be located I have no idea."

"Maybe someone knows or has possibly heard of them."

"Mother may know. We should ask her first."

"Yes, that's a good idea," Jake agreed. "The next question is what do we tell the people? They are already devastated. We need to get them motivated and back on their feet."

"Fighting for your life is good motivator. This might be just what the people need. The clan has always pulled together, become as strong as they need to be, in times of great crisis and sorrow."

"From what Norm has told us, it sounds as though that strength is about to be put to the test," Jake answered as he got to his feet, holding out a hand for his life-mate.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"What should I do with these Geo-Packs?" Zoe asked when she maneuvered the motorized parts carrier over to where Rocky was running his preflight checks on the Sampson.

She could hardly believe she was going out into the wilds of Pandora. All her training, except for some very basic survival techniques, had been for administrative jobs inside the complex. She was panicked and thrilled in equal parts. She wanted desperately to succeed in the field, but was terrified that she might fail.

"Zoe, you can do this," she told herself. It was a replay of the pep talks she used to give herself in the mirror when she was training to come to Pandora in the first place.

"Did you say something?" Rocky asked from inside the cockpit.

"Just talking to myself, that's all. This will be the first time that I have been outside the complex since I arrived."

"Zoe, relax. Give yourself a break, you will do just fine."

"I'm afraid I'll disgrace myself by being airsick."

"Here, take two of these now. Just chew them," Rocky added a moment after retrieving the pills from the medical kit. "They should keep your tummy settled. I'll remember it's your first flight and smooth out the bumps as much as possible."

"Thanks, Rocky. I appreciate this."

"Don't mention it."

Before the sweet taste from the pills was gone, the four avatars entered the hanger bay and quickly closed the distance to where the Sampson sat ready for flight. Kyle and Judy were each carrying MBS-90 Hydra door guns.

"Buck, you and Abby get another pair of those Hydra's from the armory, just in case we run it trouble," Rocky ordered as he jumped down from the cockpit. "Kyle, after you and Judy mount your weapons on the door swivels, load the Geo-Packs in the cargo hold. As soon as everyone's ready we will lift off."

"You got it, Roger," Kyle called out, giving him a mock salute.

"Zoe, is all your test equipment stowed?"

"Yes. Strapped down just like you showed me."

"Ok, up you go," Roger added as he bodily lifted her into the open area behind the cockpit. "Strap yourself into the co-pilot's seat."

Buck and Abby returned just after Kyle finished storing the Geo-Packs and latching the cargo hatch door. They looked like a couple of banditos with bandoliers of ammo crisscrossed across their chests.

"Expecting another war?" Rocky asked as he shook his head looking at them.

"What good are guns without ammo?" Buck asked.

"Not much. Get aboard and well see if this bucket of bolts can still fly."

As the turbines started to whine and the seat she was sitting in begin to vibrate, Zoe wondered just what the hell she had gotten herself into. She sure hopped those air-sickness pills were going to work.

"Gary, this is Rocky in Sampson One. Open the hangar bay door number two."

"Roger that," Gary's voice replied in the headsets they were wearing. "Keep in constant radio contact. Have a safe flight."

Rocky kept the Sampson hovering just off the hanger bay floor while the big doors slowly opened.

"Keep your eyes peeled for any critters trying to sneak in while the doors are open," Rocky informed the avatars through their headsets.

As soon as the doors where open wide enough to let the Sampson through, Rocky inched the bird out onto the tarmac.

"Gary, close the hanger bay doors. We'll wait here to make sure nothing gets inside."

"Sampson One lifting," Rocky informed Gary once the doors were closed and sealed. "See you in three hours."

"Roger that."

Zoe felt her stomach sink to the bottoms of her feet as the Samson lifted quickly above the tree line and continued to climb. The sound from the rotors made it all but impossible to hear anything that did not come through the headsets. By the time Rocky had leveled off and headed westward her stomach was mostly back in place. As per their agreed on flight plan Rocky headed directly for what used to be the open pit mine.

When the Sampson passed out over what now looked like a large lake, everyone was silent. The divisions between the sections of the continent were impossible to miss as they were more than two miles wide. From their position directly above the middle of the central body of water it was easy to see the adjoining boundaries of the newly formed continental sections.

"This has got to be ten miles across," Buck said into his headset. "I've flown over the mine a few times. This just blows my mind."

"Yeah, hard to believe, isn't it?" Kyle added.

"Where to first, Zoe?" Rocky asked.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

Neytiri found her mother on the dais in the Well of Souls. She had seen her walking in that direction when she and Jake were talking with Norm. Not having seen her come back she decided that was the best place to look for her.

"Mother, I need to speak with you again."

"Twice in such a short time is quite unlike us. Usually you are so busy living your life we barely talk at all."

"I know. I'm sorry if I have hurt you."

"No, you haven't hurt me. I'm just missing your father. One of the things that we did constantly was talk with each other. If it wasn't something to do with the clan, then it was about you or Sylwanin. I hope that you and Jake will always take the time to talk with each other. It strengthens the bond between life-mates. It will sustain your relationship for as long as you live."

"What did you wish to speak with me about?"

"Some of the old songs mention a time when the clan lived in caves. You know the ones I mean."

"Yes, you are referring to '_Swotu Hawnu_', the sacred shelter. Why do you ask?"

"Does anyone know the location of this 'sacred shelter'?"

"I doubt it very much. Most of my elders that mentioned it thought that it was located somewhere near the Sacred Mountains. It could just as easily be mythical instead of factual. Why this sudden interest in a place that may or may not exist?"

"Norm told Jake and me that the Sky People who remained behind believe that we are going to have storms that are much stronger and last much longer than those that we are used to. It is for the same reason that the ground shook and the sacred arches collapsed. For all their knowledge the Sky People did not realize the consequences of digging such a large, deep hole in the ground. Maybe they did know, but didn't care. At this point it does not matter as the outcome is the same. Our land has been divided into three pieces. According to the humans we allowed to stay, we need to find shelter as soon as possible. That was why I thought of the caves mentioned in the old songs. They might provide a suitable shelter should the storms come to pass."

"If I knew where they were located I would tell you. I'm not sure if our people would choose to live in them as we have lived in trees for as long as anyone can remember."

"Right now I don't care where we live, as long as we keep on living. I'm frightened, for our people, for you, for myself and my new family."

"You believe Norm and the other humans are telling the truth?"

"Yes…yes I do. They have nothing to gain by lying to us. You have studied Norm. He and Grace have always tried to help the _Omatikaya_. They helped Jake escape from the other Sky People so that he could lead us to victory against them. Even if they are wrong, which I hope they are, we should do everything to see that our people are safe."

"Then that is what we will do. Come let us talk with some of the elders. Perhaps they will remember something that I do not."

[xxxxx]

"Jake, there is something else that you need to be aware of." Norm had waited until Neytiri went off to see if her mother knew the whereabouts of any caves that might make a good shelter for the people.

"Sure, but why didn't you want Neytiri to know?"

"I didn't want to frighten her with something as foreign as the 'boogeyman in the closet'."

"Yeah, I get that. Before you could explain boogeyman you would have to explain what a closet is. Which would mean explaining all the junk that gets put into one, including clothes, which is still a very strange concept to them. So what is it you want me to know about the big bad boogeyman?"

"Don't joke; this is important, potentially lethal." The deadly serious expression on Norm's face sobered Jake's mood instantly.

"I'll make this brief because we could discuss it all day otherwise. The short story is that like Earth, the magnetic fields on Pandora protect the surface from high energy particles. Photons, neutrinos, gamma rays, that sort of thing. All of which are deadly to living creatures such as ourselves. The magnetic fields on Pandora are not uniform and fluctuate considerably from place to place. The breakup of the continent into three smaller sections is going to affect the magnetic fields that surround the Na'vi. How much we don't know. Zoe—she's or local geological expert—is worried that we could be in for some localized radiation storms. When and where is impossible to predict. But she's quite certain that they could be lethal. It has to do with high energy particles ionizing our cells, short circuiting our brains."

"I see what you mean about the boogeyman reference. This is the last thing the people need right now. If some of them start dying in random locations for no apparent reason, they are going to think some invisible enemy is after them, or worse Eywa is punishing them. In any case this isn't going to do their fragile state of mind one damn bit of good."

"I wish there was something more I could tell you. We humans are just as much at risk as you Na'vi, or any living creature for that matter. It's going to boil down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Since I can't do anything about it, I'll concentrate on what I can do something about. Namely finding the people suitable shelter from the storms you say are coming."

"There is one more thing that I need to tell you about." The sorrow that crossed Norm's face warned Jake that this too was going to be bad news.

"Andy Truman is dead. During the quake and AMP suit fell over and crushed his avatar while he was linked in."

"Are you saying that his human body died when his avatar did?"

"Yes, he went into convulsions and never recovered. The trauma of the avatar's death was transmitted by the psionic link to his human brain. It was too much for his brain to handle."

"That's a real bitch. I thought the avatar designers said that couldn't happen."

"Looks like they were wrong."

"Yeah. Dead wrong! I'd say."

"Karen…you remember her?"

"Yeah, sure. Karen Ripley, red hair, green eyes, very pretty."

"That's her. Well…we have gotten very close. She's trying hard not to show it, but she's scared—seriously worried might be closer to the truth—every time one of us links with our avatars. Andy's death was hardest on her as she sees the drivers as her responsibility."

"But she's more worried about you in particular?"

"No…yes…I don't know."

"Are you two in love with each other?"

"I wish I knew. I think we could be, or at least we could end up that way. Hell, how am I supposed to know? I've never been in love before."

"And that messes you up some because now you're not sure you want to cross over, become completely Na'vi like I did."

"Yes. Before things got serious between us all I could think about was when I would become _Omatikaya_. I do love the Na'vi. I feel I could be a good one. But now…"

"Norm, you have a healthy, fully functional human body. Your case is not the same as mine. This body gave me back my legs, and something to really live for. I'm not discounting the pull the Na'vi, and Neytiri in particular, have had on me. If my human body had not been paralyzed I might not have made the choice I did. Because of Neytiri, of the love that I have for her, most likely I would have made the transition in any case."

"You're telling me not to?"

"No, I'm telling you your case is not the same as mine. You have completely different circumstances. For one, the woman you love, or may come to love, is human. That right there is a very big difference."

"Yes, I know that."

"Something Neytiri once said to me applies here. It's not what body you spirit occupies that's important. It's your spirit itself that matters. She fell in love with my spirit, my essence which was the same whether I was in my avatar or human body."

"Yes, I can believe that. It sounds very much like something she would say. I do envy you, just a little. I can see that she makes you happy. You have earned it."

"Thanks. I appreciate that coming from you. If Karen makes you happy then you should consider that heavily in any decision you make about becoming _Omatikaya_."

"It will definitely be at the top of my list. Now, tell me how you have managed to acquire a very charming, precocious, and beautiful daughter in less than a day since becoming Na'vi."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Head south-west, we'll mount two Geo-Packs on that section first," Zoe informed Rocky. "I brought four packs, two for each of the western sections. Gary is going to mount a pack to the roof of the complex. It seemed the easiest and safest place for the Geo-Pack for the eastern section."

"You're the boss lady," Rocky answered cheerfully as he veered off to the south of his present course. When the Samson dropped altitude and picked up speed as Rocky changed course, Zoe could hear the avatars whooping it up over the roar of the turbine powered rotors. Her stomach did a small flutter and settled quickly. This she thought to herself could get to be addicting. She supposed this was about as close to flying as the avatars were likely to get.

"What kind of terrain are you looking to mount the Geo-Packs on?"

"I'm not sure. I do want to spread them out a bit. If something should happen to one, I don't want to lose the other. We have more Geo-Packs back at Hell's Gate, but I'm not sure when we would be able to get back here to setup a replacement."

"We will be over land in about two minutes. Let me know when you see something that looks like what you're after."

Just before the Samson reached the shoreline of the new sub-continent the craft bucked wildly. Climbing rapidly, and then plummeting just as quickly. While Rocky fought to keep the violently pitching craft level, Zoe fought to keep the contents of her stomach inside her body and off the windshield.

As abruptly as the turbulence began, it ended and the Samson leveled off and flew smoothly.

"Everyone okay back there," Rocky called out, glancing behind him.

"We're all still here. What the hell was that?" Buck's voice trembled slightly. Zoe was a bit surprised. She didn't think anything bothered Buck.

"One hell of a thermal, I'd say. Can't remember every flying though anything like that. Didn't even see it coming."

"My guess is that the water temperature near the shoreline was more highly elevated than the thermal scans showed. Could also be a local hot-spot. It probably won't be the last one we encounter."

"What should we be looking for?" Kyle asked as he gazed at the terrain passing by below them.

"I would like to anchor one of the Geo-Packs on top of a large rock or outcropping. The other we could mount in a tall tree. I want to keep them off the ground, out of the way of large animals."

"While you're looking for someplace that meets Zoe's needs, keep your eyes peeled for predators, aerial or otherwise." Rocky added as they continued heading southwest.

"Pretty much open plains out here," Judy called out from her position at the back of the pilot's side opening.

"Same on this side," Abby confirmed.

"Zoe, how far from the shoreline should we search?" Rocky asked, checking his coordinates with on the GPS.

"It doesn't matter where we anchor the packs. Maybe we should head north. That would just put us closer to the northern sub-continent in any case."

"Good point." Since it appeared to be open plain in front of them for as far as the eye could see Rocky banked the Samson and headed north, paralleling the shoreline off to his right. He didn't mention that the horizon to the far west appeared to be growing darker. No sense alarming everyone if the storm it probably represented moved in slowly.

After a couple of minutes, trees became more numerous, the grasslands giving way to small patches of forest growth. Several small herds of grazing animals scattered as they flew overhead.

"It's too bad we can't eat those things," Abby said to Buck, pointing out a small group of Strumbeest. I could go for some real meat for a change. The synthetic crap Roger cooks up is starting to get to me."

"For a while the RDA was working on a way to process the local wildlife to make it fit for human consumption, but it didn't work out. Not sure why."

"That would have been nice, seeing as there is an abundance of wildlife just outside our back door."

"That wildlife may be inside the back door, looking to eat us, now that the perimeter fence has been breached."

"Right, forgot about that," Abby added thoughtfully.

"Zoe, would that tree work?" Kyle asked, pointing to a large tree that stood about fifty meters tall.

"I'll circle around it. Let you get a good look at it. See if it works for you Zoe." Roger added.

Rocky dropped the Samson down so that it was level with the treetop as he slowly circled it from a couple hundred meters away. Climbing, he hovered just off to the side so Zoe could get a good look at the treetop.

"This should do just fine. It looks like there is a good spot to mount the Geo-Pack in that large triple fork near the top of the tree."

"Set her down and I'll get one of the Geo-Packs from the cargo hold", Kyle suggested. "We should be able to get it mounted in less than thirty minutes."

"Keep a sharp eye out for land predators. After you get the pack, I'll hove close by just in case something takes an interest in us."

Rocky set the Samson down in the tall grass about thirty meters from the base of the tree. Switching positions, Abby and Judy manned the door guns as Kyle and Buck jumped out. While Kyle retrieved the Geo-Pack, Buck got last minute mounting instructions from Zoe. When the guys made their way to the base of the tree, Rocky lifted off to hover where they could watch as Buck and Kyle scaled the tree, relaying the Geo-Pack between them as they climbed.

"This looks like a good place," Kyle said when he reached the fork near the top of the tree that Zoe had spotted. "I'll sink the anchor bolts while you rig the lines."

"Works for me." In silence Kyle and Buck prepared to mount and secure the Geo-Pack. The anchor mounts alone would keep the pack in place. The lines were a backup precaution should something happen to the anchors. By the time Buck had finished tying off three safety lines, Kyle had the anchors imbedded into the tree limbs and the Geo-Pack mounted.

"Zoe, I've powered up the pack. Run your diagnostics." Kyle said through his throat communicator.

By the time Zoe radioed back that the unit was in working order Buck had the safety lines securely fastened.

"That should do it. One down and three to go."

"We're coming down. Be ready for pickup in one minute," Kyle radioed.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

Neytiri found Jake and Norm sitting just where she had left them. See sensed something was wrong just as soon as she looked at their faces.

"Is there something you didn't tell me?"

"Andy Truman, one of the other avatar drivers was killed," Jake replied, not wanting Norm to mention anything about the radiation storms.

"I'm sorry."

"I only meet him a couple of times. Norm knew him a little better. Still it's hard to lose a person, especially for Norm and the other humans who remained on Pandora. Their group being so small to begin with."

"May his spirit live on with Eywa," Neytiri said directly to Norm, placing her hand against his chest.

"Thank you. I too hope his spirit finds its way to Eywa."

"Mother has gone to talk with some the elders to see if any of them have any recollection or knowledge of caves that might be suitable for a temporary home. Even if such caves exist mother is not sure if most of the people would consent to live there, even temporarily. We have lived in trees for so long no one can remember differently."

"Hopefully it would just be temporary, until the weather patterns adjust to the changes."

"Since neither of you were born Na'vi, nor lived the whole of your lives a certain way, had daily routines that rarely varied, it is difficult for you to see this from the people's point of view. Everything in our lives revolves around a home tree. Moving the people into caves will be like taking fish from water."

"If this is going to be so traumatic, why are you agreeing to look for the caves?" Jake asked.

"Because it will save lives, if what you have been telling me is going to happen."

"Neytiri, were not absolutely positive that the severe storms will actually happen," Norm began, a heaviness in his voice. "But if they do it will be impossible to find shelter during the storm. It's just a precaution. If you think this will do more harm than good we can try to think of some other way."

"I have thought of nothing else since you told me and Jake what you and the other humans think is coming. We need to be very careful how we put this to the people. I don't want them focusing of another suffering caused by the Sky People. We need the people to remain focused on finding immediate shelter from strong storms that come our way from time to time."

"All right then, let's go and see what your mother has learned."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

Once Kyle and Buck were back aboard the Samson, Rocky continued to follow their original heading. The darkness on the western horizon had grown while they were installing the first Geo-Pack. Pushing it to the back of his mind Rocky continued to scan the land up ahead for a second suitable location. The plains had given way to low forest, with the occasional tall tree popping up here and there. What appeared to be jagged cliffs could be seen in the distance, slightly west of the current heading. Changing heading Rocky vectored the Samson direct towards the highest cliff.

"That might be a good spot," Zoe commented ten minutes after the Samson had altered course for the cliffs. She had been using the field glasses Rocky had given her when she spotted what appeared to be a small plateau, or terrace in the face of a sheer rock cliff that rose five hundred meters from a canyon floor. The cliff was on the west wall of a canyon that ran north to south. The east facing wall would provide protection from the strongest storms that traveled west to east.

"Yes, I see it." Rocky was able to follow her line of sight when she pointed at the ledge she felt might work. "It looks big enough. Question is, how do we get on it?"

Hovering about fifty meters away from the ledge the avatars looked for feasible ways to lower themselves on to the ledge.

"Zoe, I don't think this will work," Buck said into his comm-link. "Short of repelling down the cliff wall there isn't any way to get to it. Sorry."

"Then we'll look for another. Something further up the canyon might pan out."

For the next fifteen minutes the Samson cruised north just above the middle of the canyon as everyone scanned the sides for a place to anchor the second pack. The bottom of the canyon was an endless series of cascading rapids. White water was in constant abundance. The further north they traveled the higher and steeper the canyon walls became. It was becoming obvious that the canyon was not going to work. Rounding the next bend the canyon widened out into a small lake with a two hundred meter high falls at the far end. In the middle was a stone shaft that rose fifty meters out of the water. The top of the shaft was mostly flat. It would be relatively easily lower an avatar down, install the Geo-Pack and hoist the avatar back aboard.

"What do you think Zoe?" Rocky asked as he flew in a tight circle around the pillar of rock.

"Let me see if I can get a signal from the satellite. Give me a couple of seconds…Ok, got one. Yes this should work."

"I'll go," Abby said before any of the other avatars volunteered. "I'm the lightest and smallest. Besides, this looks like a walk in the park. Next one might be trickier."

"You're so thoughtful," Judy replied. "True, you are the lightest and smallest, but that doesn't have any application here. On Pandora nothing is a walk in the park. There are no parks. Be careful."

"Help me into this harness, will you?"

With Judy's help, Abby stepped into the leg loops, slid her arms through the shoulder straps. After buckling the waist and chest straps she moved to the pilot's side opening where Judy had extended the external hoist. After Judy attached the hoist cable D-ring to the harness ring she double checked the all the straps giving each a firm yank.

"Hey! Go easy on the boobs. I might just have need of them someday."

"Sorry. I forgot these harnesses weren't designed with females in mind. Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Judy sat down at the door and placed her feet on the landing rails. "Ok, lower me down."

"Abby, don't disconnect from the hoist. If you can't get to where you need to be, I'll raise and lower you again. Got that?"

"Got it." Abby felt the harness take up her weight as she stepped off the landing rails. Rocky was hovering about twenty meters above the top of the shaft. The trip down took about fifteen seconds as she slowly twirled in a lazy circle.

"Landed, play out some slack."

"Giving you about three meters worth. Don't get tangled up."

"Yes mother. Relax will you."

"Buck is it my imagination or are the canyon walls around us moving?" Kyle asked as he tried to figure out why the rock facing seemed to be shimmering.

Before Buck could answer, the walls of the canyon started to close in on them with frightening speed.

"Banshees!" Buck screamed as the air all around them was suddenly filled with hundreds of flapping wings.

Through the windshield Rocky could see nothing but a solid wall of banshees in front and overhead. Instinctively he rotated the Samson a full one eighty while ordering Judy to get Abby back onboard. As soon as he felt Judy's weight on the hoist cable Rocky nosed over and accelerated to maximum speed.

The path was clear ahead but he wasn't sure the Samson would be able to out run the banshees diving directly for them. When three of the banshee's overshot the Sampson he had his answer. At the same instant he heard the Hydra's open fire. The noise was deafening but he blocked it out concentrating on picking up as much speed as possible by diving without dunking Abby in the water below. A quick glance in Zoe's direction told him she was gripping her shoulder harness with everything she had. If any of the banshees got tangled up in the rotors they were all dead.

The second that it was clear that they weren't going to be able to out run the banshees, Buck and Kyle opened fire, trying to scare or kill anything that got too close. Keeping an eye on Abby as the hoist brought her closer to the door, Kyle made sure she didn't get in his line of fire. The banshees were relentless. When one tried to fly right into the Samson, Kyle had no choice but to kill it with a quick burst of .50 caliber rounds.

From the instant Abby had looked up and saw the sky above the Samson filled with banshees she knew she was going to die. The hoist seemed to be reeling her in at an agonizingly slow pace. That coupled with the fact that she was being effectively dragged behind the accelerating Samson made her feel like a piece of bait.

Second by second, foot by foot, she moved closer to the door where she could see her own terror reflected back on Judy's face. Kyle and Buck were trying to keep the banshees at bay but they couldn't get to the ones closing in directly from behind. Twisting helplessly on the line she caught just a glimpse of an outstretched mouth closing in on her. Throwing her legs in as wide an arc as she could manage, she caught the banshee in the side of the head with her feet, knocking it to the side before it could bite her in half. Before she could swing back to see what might be coming from the other direction, she was even with the landing rails. Five long seconds later she felt hands grab the back of her harness and was pulled inside just as another banshee tried to snatch her out of the Samson.

"Rocky, Abby's aboard!" Judy shouted, but he had already sensed the change in drag when Abby was pulled inside and immediately sent the Samson in as steep a climb as the craft could manage. With dozens of banshees in pursuit the Samson cleared the canyon walls and continued to climb. One by one the banshees dropped away as they gained altitude and speed.

Easing out of the climb Rocky leveled the Samson and let his adrenaline saturated system start to return to normal.

"I know it's a stupid question, but is everyone okay?" Rocky asked when he was sure he could speak without his voice cracking.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

As soon as they entered the gathering area, Neytiri with Jake and Norm at her sides, spotted her mother sitting with a group of older clan members. The smell of cooked meat and fish floated heavily in the air. Normally it would have been a pleasing scent. In her current frame of mind it left her feeling slightly nauseous. Even before they reached the group her mother was talking with, Neytiri could feel and see the tension reverberating between them. He mother sat with her back arrow straight, shoulders squared and head held high. She could not remember the last time she had seen her mother this tense. All eyes except Mo'at's turned to look up when the three of them reached the group, stopping a short distance behind her. Those eyes were cold and unfriendly. More than a few were openly hostile.

After several seconds of total silence, Solundo—an old but still formidable warrior—spoke up, his voice hard and sharp.

"Dream walkers do not belong here." At first his words were for Norm, but he continued after shifting his focus to Jake. "Your bodies are not Na'vi. They were created by the Sky People. They bring nothing but death and sorrow to the _Omatikaya_. You should leave this place and never come back."

At first Neytiri was stunned by the vicious outburst filled with obvious hate and loathing. She sensed Jake and Norm stiffen when the words struck them like arrows in the heart. Before she could reply, Mauhi, another of the elders jumped to her feet and began screaming at them, shaking her fist in rage.

"Eywa should never have let you live. She should have killed all that you were. You are like a poison, killing everything that you touch. Hundreds of our people are dead because of you. You betrayed us. You lead the Sky People to our home so that they could destroy it for the rock under the ground."

As Mauhi screamed her accusations at Jake, the others in the group got quickly to their feet. She sensed other clan members closing in behind them. Neytiri could feel the solid wall of fury radiating for those in front of them. Fire did not burn as hot.

"Tell us this is not truth," ZaeZae, life-mate of a fallen warrior, demanded as she sneered back and forth between Jake and Norm. "Tell us you knew nothing of what the Sky People planned to do at Hometree."

Jake knew with a sinking feeling in his gut that no matter what he said or how he answered the question it was going to be twisted against him. Surrounded on all sides he tired make these angry brother and sisters understand.

"I knew what the Sky People wanted. I tried to…

"You see!" ZaeZae interrupted, glancing around at the other Na'vi. "He admits to bringing death and destruction to the _Omatikaya_. He and his kind have no respect for life in any form. They take what they want just because they want it. I say kill them both and be rid of these evil demons once and for all."

"Hey!" Neytiri yelped, but was cut off by Mauhi before she could say anything more.

"You are no better. You gave yourself to this monster, killer of innocent children. He will kill you too. Shun him before he puts his demon seed of death into you. Cast him out. Save yourself."

"That's not going to happen!" Jake shouted loudly enough to get everyone's attention. "I'm not putting demon seeds into anyone. I did everything I could to stop the Sky People from destroying Hometree."

"Then it appears that you did very little," Solundo added before Jake could continue.

"Jake saved the Mother Tree and Well of Souls," Neytiri shot back. "He led us to defeat the Sky People and send them back to their own world."

"Eywa defeated the Sky People!" ZaeZae screamed, her face contorted with vile hatred.

"All of us defeated the Sky People, Eywa included," Neytiri pleaded, trying to lower the hostility being hurled at them. She knew that this confrontation could turn into physical violence at the slightest provocation. "Jake, _Toruk Macto_, was our leader. He rallied the clans. He asked Eywa for help. He destroyed the giant airships that would have destroyed the Well of Souls. This is truth. Something that cannot be forgotten or made to seem unimportant."

"Yes, what you say is true," Katoke, one of the oldest living members of the clan proclaimed. "But his part in the destruction of Hometree is not balance by what he did after. Some debts cannot be paid."

"Jake, and Grace, would have been killed by the Sky People if they had not escaped their bindings. They were more Na'vi than human when the Sky People attacked. They tried to warn us."

"They would have died, as they should, if you had not freed them of their bonds," ZaeZae screamed in Mo'at's face. "You are weak, no longer fit to be _Tsahik_. Ey'tu'kan would be shamed by your weakness, your pathetic need to ask these demons for help. You are no better than your _ftue'kxetse_ daughter..."

Mo'at's hand cracked across ZaeZae's face, abruptly ending her rant. For one brief second everyone stood frozen in place. Neytiri was so shocked at having seen her mother strike ZaeZae that it didn't register when she saw ZaeZae pull her knife and lunge at Mo'at.

Norm had seen something snap inside ZaeZae's eyes when Mo'at struck her. Without thinking consciously, Norm shoved Mo'at out of the way as he stepped forward to block ZaeZae's blow. When the blade sank deep into his chest, just below his right shoulder, he didn't even feel the pain. His body was running on pure adrenaline which had pumped into his system the moment ZaeZae had drawn her knife.

Within two heartbeats the pain registered in his brain. A searing pain so bright it all but blinded him as he sank to his knees. 'Not again' was the only thought that managed to penetrate the pain. Out of eyes that could barely focus he saw Neytiri pin ZaeZae to the ground, a knife at her throat.

Norm knew that everyone was shouting around him. None of the words made any sense. It seemed as if time was standing still. As his vision blurred and he felt himself begin to pitch forward, a pair of strong hands grabbed him and gently lowered is ravaged body to the ground.

"Norm! Norm, stay with me buddy." Jake's voice managed to penetrate the curtain of pain surrounding Norm's mind. Jake's words 'that this was going to hurt' floated across his consciousness. An instant later a second blinding pain ripped through him.

"Somebody get me something to stop this bleeding," Jake shouted as he pressed his hand firmly over the wound just under Norm's shoulder. "Stay with me Norm. Don't you go and pass out on me."

As Jake felt the blood begin to ooze between his fingers, he heard Mo'at tell Neytiri not to kill ZaeZae. Since he didn't hear her ask again he figured ZaeZae was already dead or Neytiri was going to do as her mother asked.

"Damn it! Somebody get me something, now!" Jake shouted, trying to make himself heard above the riot of voices shouting all around him.

Before he could snarl out another command, Ralu was kneeling down beside Norm. She had several large leaves; one was smeared with a thick greenish paste.

"This will stop the bleeding. It is made from _torukspxam_ and _rumut_. It must be rubbed into the wound. Then we will cover the wound so that it will heal more quickly. Blocking the air makes the healing paste work faster."

"Ralu, how do you know this?" Jake asked, totally astonished by how she seemed to know just what to do and how to work the paste into the wound. Her fingers seemed small and competent next to his.

"Where did you find this?"

"Some of the older children gathered the plants after the ground shook. It was being used to treat open wounds caused by the falling stone. My cousin Ansita showed me how it is used to stop bleeding. More was gathered than was needed."

"There, that should do it," Ralu added after she finished packing the wound and had placed the inside of a thick leaf that had be peeled in two on top of the opening.

"You're a regular Florence Nightingale, aren't you?" Jake told Ralu as he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze.

"Norm, can you hear me?" Jake had been watching Norm's eye's while Ralu applied the herbal medicine. He had fully expected to see him pass out; either from the pain or from breaking the psionic link.

"Stay with me. Look at me." Jake didn't want Norm to break the link just yet. If it was going to be necessary for Norm's avatar to return to Hell's Gate he wanted Norm to take that message back with him.

"I'm going to move him to a safer location." Jake told Ralu as he picked up Norm's body and looked for someplace safe for his friend to rest. "I want you to watch over him. Call me if anything changes."

Jake found a quiet spot beside a large fragment of toppled stone that was close enough for him to keep an eye on. Laying Norm on the ground he turned to Ralu…

"Just what do you plan on doing with that?" Jake demanded when he saw Ralu holding ZaeZae's knife.

The answer he got was a snarling hiss as Ralu crouched down in a protective stance over Norm's body.

"And if that doesn't work?"

"Then I'll cry or scream," Ralu answered as she sat down and cradled Norm's head in her lap.

"If his eyes aren't open, don't give him anything to drink," Jake added when he saw the bladder beside her. "If his spirit leaves this body then he won't be able to swallow."

"When he can swallow I will give him just a little. The drink will help to ease his pain."

"Just don't give him too much."

Jake turned when he heard someone come up behind him, his hand reaching for his knife.

'Ell'a'u, would you stay with Ralu and Norm?" Jake was more than a little relieved to see her. He knew Ralu would watch over Norm, but he was worried someone might take advantage of his condition and do him further harm. As Ralu had seemingly appointed herself as Norm's guardian, she would be in danger as well.

"Yes, Jake. I will help Ralu watch over Norm. Go, Neytiri is in need of you."

Knowing Norm was in capable hands Jake headed back to where this nightmare had started. Before he reached Neytiri's side he sensed someone directly behind him once again. Whirling around Jake came face to face with a startled Tey'bar.

"Are you guarding me?" Jake asked. The question had obviously hit the mark as Tey'bar looked more than a little guilty.

"Good! Keep on doing it," Jake snapped out as Tey'bar opened his mouth to speak.

No longer having to worry about who was behind him, Jake turned to where Neytiri was crouched down beside her mother.

"Are you both okay?"

"Yes, just a bit shaken up."

"Where is ZaeZae?" Jake asked looking around at the few remaining clan members in the immediate vicinity.

"Solundo took her away," Neytiri answered. "How bad is Norm's wound?"

"Bad enough, but I think he will live. Ralu puts some green paste on the wound and covered it with the inside of a leaf."

"If ZaeZae's knife did not pierce anything vital, he should heal in four or five days."

Sensing that Mo'at was more than shaken up, he crouched down in front of her. He waited for her to look at him before he spoke.

"None of this is your fault. Our people have a right to their opinions. Not everyone is willing to forgive me for what happened at Hometree. I understand their anger. I am angry with myself for not being able to stop it somehow."

"I knew several in the clan were troubled, but I had no idea there was so much outright hatred," Mo'at answered, looking directly into his face.

"I will deal with that…"

"No, we will deal with it," Neytiri interrupted, the anger in her voice as shape as her knife.

"For now we should let those who are angry with you be," Mo'at said to both Jake and Neytiri. "Time may help."

"Jake, Ell'a'u is trying to get your attention," Tey'bar interrupted.

"Come mother. We should go and see how Norm is doing."

Without giving Mo'at any choice Neytiri pulled her mother to her feet. With Jake opposite her Neytiri led Mo'at over to where Norm lay stretched out.

"If you're going to go around playing hero you need to learn how to block an attack," Jake told Norm when he kneeled down beside him. Jake was relieved to see Norm's eyes open, but there was a lot of pain in them.

"I'll think I'll sleep for a while…"

Jake saw the spirit, but not the life, fade out of Norm's body as it relaxed and became still.

"This will be easier for him," Jake said to the small group gathered around Norm's avatar.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"We're all okay, even Abby," Buck answered after making sure for himself that Abby was indeed all right.

"Zoe, you can open your eyes now." Rocky was a little worried about her. She was pale as a ghost.

"I thought we were going to die. I couldn't bear to watch. Stupid, I know."

"Nothing stupid about it," Rocky added, giving her his best 'everything's going to be alright' smile.

"Where to now?" Kyle asked, poking his head into the cockpit.

"We'll just keep heading north. We should spot some place suitable before we cross over to the northern section. That work for you Zoe?"

"Yes, that should work. If we don't find a secondary site it won't be the end of the world."

Within five minutes a large plateau was visible through the cockpit windshield. Rocky had steadily descended as they continued flying north. The plateau appeared to be about a hundred meters across. It was located at the top of a steep rise that climbed up from the surrounding valley floor. The sides of the plateau walls were steep enough to keep large animals from reaching the top. Smaller animals or Na'vi would be able to reach the plateau without much difficulty.

"I'm going to circle around a few times before I set us down. I've had enough surprises and excitement for one day."

"We're with you there," Abby called out, her voice sounding normal.

"Keep a sharp eye out for anything that moves."

After the third flyover Rocky brought the Samson to a gentle landing in the middle of the plateau. Even before the landing rails touched down, Kyle and Buck were jumping out, the dismounted Hydras in their hands, with the ammo belt slung over their shoulders. Waiting for Kyle and Buck to motion them to dismount, Abby and Judy gathered the equipment they would need to mount the Geo-Pack.

"Any particular place you want us to mount the pack?" Abby asked Zoe as she prepared to follow Judy from the aircraft.

"Try to find solid rock to sink the anchors. Four anchors would be ideal."

"You got it." Gabbing the Geo-Pack, Abby jumped down onto the plateau. When her feet landed on mostly solid rock, she figured they wouldn't have any trouble finding a place to mount the pack.

"Over here!" Judy called out, thirty yards away from where the Samson had landed.

"Couldn't ask for a better spot than this." Judy was looking down at a smooth flat stone surface about three meters across. It was sheltered on one side with a low rock outcropping.

"You're right. This is perfect."

Abby set the Geo-Pack in the center of the opening as Judy dumped out the necessary anchors. Working in tandem they had four anchors mounted in just minutes. Securing the pack to the anchors with thin steel self-cinching wires took less than five minutes.

"Zoe, the pack's powered up," Judy radioed with her throat mike. "Let us know when it's operational."

"It will take me about five minutes to make the satellite link up and run the diagnostics. Once Gary starts getting data were good to go."

Abby and Judy walked over to where Kyle stood looking out over the valley that surrounded the plateau. It was a truly breath taking site. A large river wound its way through the valley, descending in a series of cascading falls.

"That is absolutely amazing," Abby said as she gazed out at the view before them. "Even without Polyphemus hanging in the sky it would be an incredible view."

"No arguing with that," Kyle added as Judy slid her arm around his waist. "Or with that either," he added giving Judy a quick kiss.

"Look, down by the river," Abby exclaimed, pointing to one of the falls. "It's a group of Na'vi. I think they are fishing."

"Quick, step back. We don't what them getting curious and coming up here." Kyle retreated from the edge hoping they hadn't been spotted.

"Gary is getting data from the pack." Zoe's voice announced through the comm-links. "Let's move on to the next site."

Retreating quickly to the Samson, all four avatars were aboard and ready for takeoff in a matter of minutes. Directing Rocky to liftoff in the opposite direction from where they had spotted the Na'vi, the Samson rose smoothly and quietly into the sky.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Norm. Wake up Norm."

Karen gently slapped the side of Norm's face trying to revive him from the cocoon his mind was trying to slide into. One of the side effects of the psionic link was to send the human mind into a protective state when its avatar had suffered a trauma or was in pain. She had been beside Norm's pod ever since the bio sensor warning had triggered the audible alarm. At first all she could think about was Andy—the horrible way he had died. After a quick scan of the pod control screen Karen relaxed slightly. Something was obviously wrong with the avatar, but it didn't appear life threating. She could tell from EEG that the avatar was in a lot of pain. As the never-ending minutes ticked by the pain seemed to lessen. When the pod began to retract Karen felt the hard knot twisted in her stomach begin to relax.

"That's it. Open your eyes. Look at me."

As Norm's eyes opened and his focus finally tracked to her face, she felt tears well up in her eyes when he smiled weakly up at her.

"Take it easy. Nice slow, deep breaths…That's it…In…out…"

"I'm okay. The pain's mostly gone now." Norm's easy breathing along with the relaxed look on his face finally settled Karen's nerves.

"What happed out there?"

"I got stabbed in the chest."

"What! Where?" Karen's nearly normal stomach twisted instantly back into hard knots.

"In the chest, just under my right shoulder. Hurt like a bitch. I think the blade missed my lung. Muscle damage mostly, I think."

"Good God! How did that happen?"

"I got in the way of a crazy woman's knife."

"What? What do you mean?"

"A woman was screaming at Neytiri's mother. She made a particularly foul remark about Neytiri and Mo'at slapped her across the face. The woman—I think her name was ZaeZae—lunged for Mo'at intending to stab her. I pushed Mo'at out of the way but didn't have time to block the blow from her knife."

"You're not Superman. You know that don't you. Your avatar is not made of steel." Looking down at Norm lying comfortably in the cushioning foam while the image of him being stabbed in the chest played in her mind, shot every single emotion she felt for Norm straight to the surface.

"You don't have to tell me. I've been shot. Now I've been stabbed, and I'm not sure which was worse."

"Oh baby, don't cry," he said when the tears started running freely down Karen's cheeks. "I'm here. I'm going to be okay."

"You don't know what it's like. Having to just wait around while you are in that damn pod, linked to your avatar. Just waiting for something terrible to happen, praying that it doesn't. It's enough to drive a person crazy. It was a hell of a lot easier before I fell in love with you—"

"I wasn't going to tell you that," she continued after Norm just looked at her, obviously stunned by her statement.

"Why?"

"Because I don't think it's fair to tell you that when you don't feel the same way about me. When I know that deep down inside you would like to follow in Jake's footsteps and become one of the Omaticaya. Cross over as he did. I let myself fall in love with you even though I knew I would eventually lose you."

"I've been thinking a lot about wanting to do what Jake did. I think even before what just happened at the Well of Souls, I had decided that I didn't really want that any more. The last few days have given me a totally new perspective on what I am and what I want. Being in a ten foot tall, physically strong body can be very addicting. Especially for someone like me who was mostly a nerd."

"As interesting as the Na'vi people are, I've come to the conclusion that I don't want to be one for the rest of my life. Partly this is selfish on my part. I love science too much. They don't even have a clue as to what it feels like to discover something new. To learn more about how the universe works, what's our place in it? I don't think I could be content to spend the rest of my life just doing the same thing day after day. Now it's completely irrelevant."

"Why is that?"

"The reason I was stabbed was there was a big argument going on among the Omaticaya. A sizeable number of them hate all humans and that goes for us avatars as well. Jake included. They wanted Jake and me to leave and never come back. They blame everything that has happed, even todays earthquakes, on us humans. I can't blame them as we have given them nothing but grief since humans first landed on Pandora."

"Becoming one of the clan is totally out of the question. I'm not sure Jake won't eventually have to leave or be driven out as well. As long as any of us are around the Omaticaya are not going to heal quickly."

"And there is another, more important reason for remaining human. It seems that I too have fallen in love. I'm not entirely sure just how that happened. It sort of snuck up on me when I wasn't looking. I think I'm stuck with her for life, don't see any way out of it."

"You're damn right you're stuck with me. We're stuck with each other, for life."

When Karen took Norm's hand that had been gently cupping her face and kissed it tenderly the gesture warmed his heart. Sitting up on the side of the pod Norm pulled Karen to him so that her head rested comfortingly against his chest. When her arms encircled him he knew this was where he wanted to be.

"What's funny?" Karen asked when she sensed Norm chuckling to himself a short time later.

"Not ha-ha funny, just unexpended funny. Jake has a daughter, adopted of course. Her name is Ralu and she is simply delightful. She is also the one who doctored my wound. I think she is about six or seven years old—seems very wise for her age."

"That sure was quick. Were he and Neytiri planning this all along?"

"I don't think so. Last night when I left nothing was mentioned of her. Today when I got back, there she was. Of all the Na'vi children that I meet with Grace, Ralu is the most memorable, or leaves you with that memorable feeling. There is something special about her. I can't put my finger on it, but something's different about her."

"I would love to meet her someday. She sounds interesting."

"That day could come sooner rather than later if this rift within the clan does not heal."

"You really think there is a possibility that they may kick Jake out?" Karen didn't know a lot about the Na'vi, but to kick Jake out after he had rid them of the RDA seemed totally unfair.

"It's a possibility. Things were pretty intense just before I got stabbed. If enough of the clan people feel Jake should leave it is going to make it impossible for him to lead them as a single unit. Unity of the clan is way more important to them than any single individual person. If another clan member is chosen to be their leader, Jake could be forced out."

"But what would happen to Neytiri, to Ralu?"

"Exactly my question as well. This could get very ugly for Jake."

"You said it's just a possibility, not something mostly likely to happen."

"One of the reasons unity is so important to the clan is it's a survival mechanism. If the Omaticaya clan is split, it might not survive. Jake has to come up with some way of reaching those that hate all things human. This brings me to the conclusion that we have to get my avatar out of there as quickly as possible. If Jake is the only reminder of humanity he may be able in time to bring the clan together. The fact that he is _Toruk Macto_ will swing a lot of weight."

"Rocky might be able to pick up your avatar. Let's check with Gary and see where the Samson is."

"My thoughts as well." Norm didn't want to leave Jake alone, but at this point it seemed like the best idea. He told himself that he had to stop thinking of Jake as human and start thinking of him as a Na'vi that was friendly to humans. Much as Neytiri was now.

"Gary, are you in contact with Rocky?" Karen asked using the comm link at the master control station for all the pods.

"Yes, I just finished talking with him a few minutes ago." Gary's answered almost immediately.

"Where are they?"

"They had just finished setting up the second Geo-Pack on the south western sub-continent and were headed to the north western one."

"Will they be anywhere in the vicinity of the Well of Souls?"

"Not sure, but I can ask. Why do you want to know?"

"We are going to need him to pick up Norm's avatar. It was stabbed a little while ago. Norm's back here, he's okay."

"Jesus! How bad was it?"

"Thankfully the wound wasn't life threatening, but it wasn't superficial either."

"That's good to hear."

"The real problem has to do with resentment among some of the Omaticaya about what has been done to them by the RDA or humans in general. Getting Norm's avatar out of there might lessen the tensions."

"What about Jake?"

"Jake is all Na'vi now. He is going to have to deal with this as best he can. Don't worry too much. Jake is a survivor. He will get through this one way or another."

"I'll get a hold of Rocky; fill him in on what's going down."

"I'm going to link back up so I can let Jake know that we are trying to arrange for a pick up. We'll need his help in any event."

"Okay Norm. Get back with me as soon as you know how and where to arrange for the pickup."

"I have to go back," Norm said as he turned to pull Karen against him. "The other avatars can't just go waltzing in there and pick up mine. There is enough hostility already. Jake and Neytiri can get me to someplace where I can be picked up without causing more problems."

"I know you have to go back. I also know that when you do you are going to be in a lot of pain. This isn't going to be a walk on the beach."

"Thanks' for reminding me. Now let's get me back before I change my mind."

At the side of the pod, just before Norm boosted himself up, Karen pulled his lips to hers in a kiss that was needy and just a bit mean.

"If you don't come back I'll—

"I'm coming back! You can count on it Red!"

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Norm. Relax, breathe easy," Ralu said as she continued to cradle his head in her lap. She had known instantly when his spirit returned. She didn't heed to feel his body stiffen from the pain. "Drink some of this."

Ralu held the opening of the bladder to his lips so that Norm could drink without having to move his body.

"Just a few sips. It's pretty strong if you're not used to it."

"Where's Jake? I need to speak with him."

"I'll fetch him," Ell'a'u said as she got to her feet. "He and Neytiri are with Mo'at and some of the other clan loyal to him."

"Have you been sitting here, holding my head the whole time?"

"Yes. I did not want you to wake alone. Your wound would begin to bleed again if you moved too quickly."

"Thanks. You're very sweet."

"What I am, is mad," Ralu replied, a sudden surge in her voice. "You are a guest among my people. You are Jake's friend. You are also very stupid. Why did you push Mo'at out of the way so that ZaeZae attacked you instead?"

"Ah…it seemed like the thing to do at the time." Norm was completely taken by surprise when Ralu turned her anger on him.

"It's what a guy does when he sees that a woman is about to be attacked."

"Human females do not know how to defend themselves? They must look to males to do so?" Ralu's words were framed as a question but even through the pain Norm didn't miss the sarcasm in them.

"Ah…no. At least not all of them. For human males it's more instinct that anything else. If a guy sees someone hurting or about to hurt a female or a child he feels compelled to do something about it."

"I understand, or at least I think I do. But you should not do this again."

"I think I can promise you that."

"Back with us, I see." Jake squatted down so that he could speak with Norm without his voice carrying. Neytiri and Ell'a'u stood directly behind him.

"Yeah. Throbs like hell. But I can breathe without it feeling like my lungs are on fire."

"And before you start yelling at me for being stupid, Ralu's already take care of that little chore."

"She has, has she? Well in that case I will only thank you for saving Mo'at's life. I don't think she believed that ZaeZae would dare attack her. I saw it happening but was too late to stop it. You had Mo'at out of the way before I moved. If I'd been a little more alert I might have blocked ZaeZae before she stuck her knife into you."

"As I told Ralu, I was just acting on instinct. Didn't think about the possibility of getting stabbed."

"Regardless, Neytiri and I are both grateful that you did what you did."

"Jake, we need to get me out of here. Otherwise you are going to have more scenes just like the last one. While I was back at Hell's Gate I talked with Karen and Gary. Rocky is somewhere nearby in a Samson with the other avatars. They are installing Geo-Packs on each of the three sections of the original continent. Where would be a good place to for them to land so that they can take me back with them without causing further dissention among the people?"

"I'm sure we can find a place. In your condition you will have to be carried on a litter. If you try to walk that wound is just going to open up."

"I'm not sure where the Samson is at the moment. Rocky radioed that they were just entering this section of the continent about fifteen minutes ago."

"Rocky has never flown in these mountains. Without his instruments he will be flying blind."

"Ell'a'u and I will go and search for the Sky People's bird," Tey'bar offered. He had joined the little group when Ell'a'u had told Jake and Neytiri that Norm was awake.

"I am going with you," Jake replied as he gave Norm's good shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"Neytiri, I don't want Tey'bar and Ell'a'u alone out there just now. I know they are capable, I just think it would be better if the three of us went together."

"I agree," Neytiri responded immediately. "Ateyo and Neynat will help Ralu and I watch over Norm while you are gone."

"I wish I knew a good pickup point. That way you could move him there while we are searching for the Samson."

"The portable building you used for your human body is not far from here. Would that work? Most of the Na'vi avoid the area."

"Perfect. How long do you think it will take to carry Norm there?"

"Not long. It is about the same distance as the lake we went to this morning."

"That should give us enough time to find the Samson if it is anywhere in the area."

"Norm, just hang in there. We'll get you out of here safely."

"Can I talk with you, alone?"

"Sure. Give us a minute, would you?" Jake asked.

"Don't risk your life or any of your people to save this avatar," Norm began once they were alone. "I have decided not to follow your path. You were right in that it is totally different for me. My place is with the others back at Hell's Gate. Karen makes me happy. I guess the fact that I love her says it all."

"Yes, brother, that says it all," Jake agreed as he clasped Norm's left arm in a strong bond of male friendship. "Now let's get you out of here."


	6. Chapter 5

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Chapter 5**

"Does anyone know where this 'Well of Souls' is located?" Rocky asked after signing off with Gary.

"Just that it's somewhere in the Hallelujah Mountains. Better than that I can't tell you," Buck answered.

"We'll just have to hope for better directions once we get closer. Otherwise we will run out of fuel before we can search even a small part of them."

"I can't believe Norm's luck," Abby began. "First he gets shot, now he's stabbed. If I were him I wouldn't want to link back up for any reason."

"You can sure say that again," Judy amended.

"The western horizon has been getting steadily darker since we took off," Kyle commented, his head resting comfortably against the padded back of the Samson's mid-section.

"I know. I've been keeping an eye on it. Looks like a storm is coming in. Still a ways off yet. The doppler radar hasn't picked it up so we should have enough time to complete our mission and get back to base before the storm hits."

"We should try the first suitable location we come to for the next pack," Zoe suggested as she continued to scan the horizon in front of them. "That way if we get tied up retrieving Norm's avatar we will have at least one Geo-Pack on this sub-continent."

"From the looks of the terrain that might take a while," Buck responded as he stared down at the dense jungle canopy zipping by beneath them.

"Are those the Hallelujah Mountains off to the left?" Zoe asked; pointing in the direction she was looking.

"Yes they are. From this distance it's hard to tell they're actually floating." Rocky changed bearing so that the Sampson was headed directly for the eastern end of the mountain range.

For the next ten minutes everyone was lost in their own thoughts as the Samson steadily flew north. Large trees that broke through the jungle canopy began to spring up here and there. Most of them rose less than fifty meters out of the dense undergrowth. All were too small to house more than a few Na'vi families.

"Rocky, bear left about twenty degrees," Abby began. "I think there are some taller trees on the horizon, although from this distance I can't be sure."

"Coming left," Rocky replied as the Samson gently banked to the new heading.

After another ten minutes several large trees could be clearly seen in the distance. Five minutes later six trees that rose about one hundred fifty meters were just off to their left. A large cascading river wandered among the trees creating the appearance of a small village.

"Keep an eye out for any inhabitants," Rocky called out as he flew a wide circle around the seemingly unoccupied trees.

"No sign of activity," Kyle called out after the first pass. "I spotted a good location for a Geo-Pack in the southern most tree."

"Even though these trees are less than half the size of Hometree they might make a good home for the Omaticaya as there are six of them." Judy suggested.

"There's a clearing next to the river large enough to land in," Buck added. "Make a second pass, it we don't spot any activity we can put down there."

"Zoe, this spot work for you?" Rocky asked.

"Yes, this should do just fine."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Neytiri, stay in touch. I'll do the same." Jake looked down at Norm resting on a litter being carried by two of their brothers Neytiri had picked to accompany her. Ateyo and Neynat were waiting, bows in hand.

"Jake, I'm going to break the link. I'll have Gary radio the Samson to be on the lookout for you. They will be able to monitor your comm link if you set it to an open channel."

"Already done. Norm if you don't want to link back up we'll make sure your avatar gets safely back. No reason to link back up just to get bounced around on the litter."

"Good point. I'll link back only if necessary."

"Neytiri, I don't even know how to thank you for all that you've done for me," Norm began. "If for some reason we don't see each other again—Na'vi to Na'vi—it has been a pleasure knowing you. I'm not sure if you knew it, but Grace loved you as the daughter she never had. Of all the _Omatikaya_ you were her favorite."

"If all Sky People were like you, like Grace and Jake, everything would be different. None of our people would have had to suffer as we have done. Like Grace, you will always be in my memories."

"Ralu, I want to thank you as well for seeing to my wound so quickly," Norm added, turning to look at her standing next to her mother.

"I am happy that I was able to help." Ralu leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Norm's cheek after which she whispered in his ear. "In your heart you are Na'vi. For me you are already _Omatikaya_."

"Jake, remember what I said," Norm added as Ralu's words spread warm comfort through his pain ravaged body.

"I'll remember. Now go. Karen is waiting for you."

"Yes she is," Norm answered. A smile spread across his face an instant before his eyes closed and his body went limp.

"Do not cry mother. Norm will always be with us. He will walk among us once again." Ralu tried to comfort her new mother as Jake turned to give Tey'bar and Ell'a'u last minute instructions.

"I know he will always be with me, just as Grace is. My tears are for all those who have suffered and what that suffering has driven other to do. They are for all the suffering that is yet to come."

Kneeling down so that she was eye to eye with Ralu, Neytiri embraced this wondrous gift she and Jake had been given. Healing began within a single heart and spread to those around it. This was the perfect place to start that process.

"We have to be strong for our people. But even more we have to be patient and understanding. It will take much time for everyone's wounds to heal. I hope that by the time you are grown all the hatred and bitterness will be just a distant memory. I pray that your generation and those to come after will know peace and harmony. You, the children of the _Omatikaya_ are our hope, our destiny."

"We will not disappoint you," Ralu answered solemnly.

"You will have the children you so desperately want," Ralu said in a quiet voice that only Neytiri could hear. "This I have foreseen. They are not yet within you. You are going to have to use some of the patience you just spoke of."

"Of this you are certain?"

Neytiri pushed Ralu back far enough so that she could look into her face, into her eyes. The answer she read in them warmed her body like nothing had ever done before. The knowledge that she would have children was so soothing, so heart-warming that she completely missed the twinkle of amusement in Ralu's eyes.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

Karen was waiting as patiently as she could for Norm's pod to open once it had started to retract. She had been monitoring his vitals constantly since he went back in. That fact they appeared stable helped to keep her nerves from getting the better of her.

"Any significant change in the condition of your avatar?"

"No, it's stable. The herbal compound Ralu applied to the wound seems to be working. The pain's still heavy, but it's bearable."

"That's good. It is better that you are unlinked. There isn't any reason to endure the pain needlessly."

"True. I told them I would only link back up if there was an emergency they needed to know about."

After sitting up on the side of the pod for a few seconds Norm got slowly to his feet. The pain that had been transferred to his human brain left him feeling a little weak and nauseous. Walking slowly with Karen at his side he made his way over to the master console, sinking into one of the movable chairs.

"I didn't realize just how much that last link was going to take out of me."

"Remember that if you decide you need to go back for some reason."

"Believe me, I will. Okay, let's fill Gary in so he can relay Jake's plans on to Rocky."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Keep sharp, this place is too good to be unknown to the Na'vi," Rocky instructed as Buck and Kyle prepared to leave the Samson to mount a Geo-Pack in the tree they selected from the air.

"It is one gorgeous spot. Even to humans this spot would have a lot of appeal." Abby added as she gazed out over the large meadow like opening they had landed in.

"Maybe humans from a couple of hundred years ago," Judy began. "Most people today would be totally freaked out by this. They would be like zoo animals let loose from their cages, totally lost and afraid. We love it, but we're the exception not the rule."

"You do have a point." Abby agreed.

"It should take us about ten minutes to climb, another ten to mount the pack and five to come back down," Buck said as he jumped down to land in the soft grass. "Back in thirty minutes or less."

Just before Kyle jumped out he planted a long kiss on Judy's lips which she returned with equal enthusiasm.

As soon as Buck and Kyle were clear of the rotors Rocky lifted the Samson into the air so that they could keep watch from overhead. With equal parts of speed and agility Buck and Kyle made their way to the tree and began to climb.

"It's almost as if this tree was made for a Na'vi home," Buck commented as they continued their climb.

"It sure does look that way," Kyle answered. "From everything Jake and Norm recorded about Hometree this would certainly make a good one."

"I'm more than a little surprised that it has never been lived in before. At least it doesn't look like it has."

"Jake needs to see this place. It's farther south than Hometree was located, but there isn't any appreciable difference in the terrain from what the Omaticaya are used to."

"Yeah, I agree," Buck replied as they reached the five meter wide trunk that branched off horizontally.

"Zoe, we are ready to anchor the pack," Kyle radioed. "We'll let you know when it's powered up and ready for testing."

"Make sure the dish has a clear line of site to the sky," Zoe answered.

"This looks like a good spot," Kyle said as he checked the sky above them. For about twenty meters the trunk was open to the sky before other lesser trunks and branches began to shoot off in all directions.

Buck sank the four anchors while Kyle prepared the steel tethers. Their second installation was smoother than their first. The pack was mounted, secured and powered up in just under four minutes.

"Zoe, the pack is ready. Run your diagnostics. Let us know when we can start back down."

"Will do, Buck"

"I think we have company," Kyle said quietly.

Following his gaze to a thick cluster of branches farther out from where they were standing Buck spotted movement beyond the dense foliage that hampered his view.

"I think it's a banshee, and a big one at that," Kyle added as he moved around trying to get a better view.

"I think you're right. Let's not attract its attention if we can help it."

"I'm pretty sure it already knows we are here. Why it hasn't made any sounds is beyond me. It should have attacked or flown off by now."

"Maybe it's injured," Buck suggested.

"That or trapped."

"Either way we don't want to get too close. As much as I would like to see it, we don't really have any experience for this."

Both avatars jumped when Zoe radioed that the Geo-Pack was working correctly.

"We're on our way down," Buck radioed back. "We'll be ready for pickup in five minutes."

Without the pack and gravity working with them instead of against them, Buck and Kyle descended in less than five minutes. As soon as they reached the clearing Rocky brought the Samson in for a landing. After climbing aboard Buck leaned into the cockpit to speak with Rocky.

"We think there might be an injured or trapped banshee in the treetop not far from where we anchored the pack. I'd like to get a better look."

"Sure, I'll hover over the top while you try to spot it. Why do you want to see it anyway?"

"Just an idea. Might not amount to anything."

"Let me know if you spot what you're looking for, or if you want me to get closer."

"I know it's there somewhere," Kyle said after Rocky made two complete circles around the top of the tree.

"There! Just under that large over-hanging limb," Judy shouted.

"Rocky, hold here, but drop down about fifty meters." Buck ordered.

"Sure enough, it's a banshee. And a big one at that," Kyle exclaimed.

"Looks like its wing is broken," Abby added.

"It is, isn't it?" Judy confirmed.

"Damn that's a shame. It is one magnificent looking beast," Buck sighed. "Okay Rocky. Let's head for the mountains. See if we can meet up with Jake."

"Roger that," Rocky replied as he swung the Samson around and began to climb into the mostly clear, cyan colored sky.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

After reminding Neytiri to keep in touch one last time—one too many times from the look she had gave him—Jake called to his banshee as did Tey'bar and Ell'a'u.

"Stay close together," Jake ordered as he formed _tsahaylu_ and mounted his _ikran_. "The ground shaking may have agitated many animals. banshees and other predators of the sky may attack when normally they would not. I will have eyes for the Sky People's aircraft. You two need only have eyes for what could do us harm."

With whoops and hollers the three riders and their _ikran's_ leapt skyward in a frenzied beating of wings. Within minutes they were well above the Well of Souls, winding their way south through the Hallelujah Mountains.

'This is going to be like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack' Jake thought to himself. He had never seen a haystack or a needle. Old metaphors never died he thought.

For fifteen minutes Jake and his young hunters flew through the main valley that lead mostly south. Several times he tried to contact the Samson via his comm link. To his dismay he discovered that he could no longer raise Neytiri as well. 'Smart' Jake thought. He should have paid more attention when Trudy had tried to explain about the vortex. 'A bit too late for that old son', he told himself. Resigned, Jake kept his banshee in the middle of the valley and continued on, making frequent calls through his comm link.

[xxxxx]

"I'm picking up a transmission," Rocky announced. "It's weak and almost unintelligible, but it must be Jake. No one else would be out here on that channel."

"Can you home in on the signal?" Buck asked.

"Possibly. Since the signal isn't continuous it will be difficult."

"What's the furthest distance away he could be and still be able to pick up his signal?" Kyle asked.

"About fifteen kilometers, possibly a bit more at this altitude."

"If we're hearing him then he must be out of the vortex, right?" Abby put in.

"Or he could still be in the vortex and that is what is making his signal so weak." Buck added.

"Quite please." Rocky held up his hand to forestall any further discussion as he concentrated on the Samson's radio direction locator. After receiving three more transmissions which became progressively stronger he had an approximate bearing.

"If this isn't some form of echo we should be headed straight for him," Rocky advised his companions after her adjusted the Samson's heading twenty degrees to the east.

[xxxxx]

"Jake, I read you. Your signal is weak but growing stronger," Rocky said into his helmet mike after they had been on the new heading for about five minutes.

"Reading you as well," Jake's voice replied through the speakers Rocky had activated so everyone could hear.

"Keep on the same heading you're currently flying."

"Will do," came the distant reply after a short pause.

"At our current speed we should be within visual range in the next few minutes, ten at the outside," Rocky began. "I'm not sure how high he is flying, but I doubt it quite this high. I'm going to drop down some."

"I see you," Jake's voice came clearly through the speakers. "We are just off to your right about two thousand meters out and a little below you."

"Got'em," Judy called out. "Three banshee's in V formation."

"Jake, turn around and head back. I'll overtake your position in a couple of minutes."

"Roger that. From here it's just a little less than thirty minutes by banshee to where Norm's avatar will be waiting."

"I guess we were due for a break," Buck began. "It's amazing that we were able to locate him so quickly. The Hallelujah Mountains stretch for a thousand kilometers across the top of the continent."

"We knew he was on the eastern end of that range. It took just over an hour for Quaritch to reach it from Hell's Gate." Abby added.

"That's true," Buck conceded. "Smaller area notwithstanding, I'm still glad we got a break and located him quickly.

[xxxxx]

Jake signaled Ell'a'u and Tey'bar by hand to turn around and head back towards the Well of Souls after he pointed in the direction of the oncoming Samson. Acknowledging, they banked away from him and headed back up the valley. Waiting a few seconds to make sure the Samson had seen them Jake turned his banshee, urging him to pick up speed, so that he could catch up with his fellow flyers.

As the sounds from the Samson's turbine powered rotors grew louder, their _ikran's_ became agitated. When Jake's _ikran_ started squawking in protest he radioed Rocky to back off and follow them at greater distance. Almost instantly the sounds from the Samson died out.

"I switched to whisper mode," Rocky's voice said into his comm link. "Uses a little more fuel, but a lot quieter."

"Thanks," Jake replied. "I doubt these banshees will ever get used to the mechanical whine of turbines and rotors."

"How's Norm's avatar doing?"

"About as well as can be expected. The wound was deep. We applied a herbal mixture that stopped the bleeding and closed the wound to infection. It's going to take quite a while to heal completely on its own."

"Max may be able to speed the healing process once we get back."

"That would be good. Norm's had a rough time with his avatar."

"Yes, he sure has."

"We are going to meet Neytiri where we parked the mobile control station just before Quaritch attacked. It is about a twenty minute hike from the Well of Souls. That should put us far enough away to not ruffle any clan feathers. We had enough of that already."

"Jake, on the way to meet you we discovered a group of six trees, just under half the size of Hometree, clumped together along a winding river. The trees were not occupied as far as we could tell. It would take a little over an hour to fly there on your banshee."

"That's interesting. They would be due south of us?"

"A little west of south. We mounted a Geo-Pack in one of the trees so we could track this section of the continent's movement. I can get you the exact GPS coordinates."

"Sounds like it's worth checking into. Once we get past any storms headed our way."

"From the looks of the western horizon one will be on us by nightfall."

"That's good to know. Now all I have to do is find shelter for my people before it hits."

"You're high enough in the mountains. The storm could turn south, miss you altogether."

"That would be nice, but it's probably too much to ask for."

Tey'bar caught Jake's attention as he moved in closer and shouted something Jake couldn't quite comprehend. Looking down Jake could see the reflection from the roof of the remote control station.

"Rocky, in a minute you should be able to see the top of the control station directly below my present position. Land in the clearing just beside it."

"Will do."

"I'll meet you there after I land and set my banshee free."

[xxxxx]

"Is this where Jake stayed while his spirit was in control of his Na'vi body?" Ralu asked when they reached the remote control station, after Neytiri had directed the litter bearers to put Norm down in a comfortable spot.

"For the most part. Sometimes his human body was back at the Sky People's home," Neytiri replied as an involuntary shiver raced up and down her spine. This was the first time she had been back here since she killed Quaritch and rescued Jake from suffocating in Pandora's air. All that was left of the thanator was its bones. The AMP suit was mostly covered in vines and other plant growth. She was sure nothing remained of him but bones as well.

"What was Jake like…I mean, what was he like as a human?"

"Well…he was shorter and smaller than you are right now."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Neytiri could still remember the panic she had felt when Jake's avatar had collapsed in front of her. The heart stopping panic she felt when she discovered his human body barely conscious on the floor outside his pod.

"What did he look like?'

"What I remember most was the kindness in his eyes. After I placed his breathing mask to his face and he was able to breathe again, he looked up at me and I felt the same connection I do when he looks at me with his Na'vi eyes. He placed his hand—no bigger than yours—on the side of my face and said 'I see you'. It is a moment I will remember the whole of my life."

"Were there tears in your eyes then as well?"

"Yes, young one who needs to know everything, there were. The mixture of relief and love that I felt was almost too strong to bear." Rubbing the tears from her eyes she felt those same emotions swell within her.

"I hope that I will find a life-mate that I will love as much as you love Jake."

"What? You haven't seen your future life-mate yet?"

"No. I don't see everything that will happen."

"Just how much do you see of the future?" Neytiri asked, her eyebrow arched.

"Mostly just bits and pieces. Sometimes my visions are clear, sometimes they are mere impressions, feelings really."

"When did you begin to have them?"

"I've had them for as long as I can remember, possibly since I was born."

"Did you know your parents were going to die?" Neytiri knew it wasn't a kind question, but it was one she needed to ask anyway. Hopefully it wouldn't cause Ralu any undue pain.

"Yes, but I didn't know how or when. I just knew they weren't going to always be with me. I would get glimpses of people that weren't my parents but it would be in a family setting. Like sleeping together, or eating a meal, laughing and playing. Things like that. I never saw Jake's or your faces. I didn't know who you were."

"Until last night." The image of Ralu sitting in Jake's lap as if she had been born there immediately sprang to mind. She had felt the bond between Ralu and Jake all the way across the gathering area.

"Actually it was when Jake was passing through the Eye of Eywa that my vision became clear. While I was bonded with Eywa, I saw us together. It was very clear to me that we were going to be a family."

"You're a bit young to be bonding at such a ceremony." Neytiri tried to remember when her mother had first allowed her to bond with Eywa. She was quite sure she was a several years older than Ralu.

"True, but my aunt and uncle were well into their own bonding by the time I found a suitable place to bond. I'm sure they assumed I was still back at the gathering area with the other children."

"It didn't overwhelm you, frighten you?"

"No, not at all."

"You told me that I would have children. Did you see this while you were bonded with Eywa?" This particular revelation had totally caught her by surprise. She always figured she would have them someday. It was the way Ralu had phrased the declaration that had seemed odd. Almost as if she herself felt she couldn't have them.

"No, that vision came to me while I was sleeping between you and Jake last night."

"Do most of your visions come while you are sleeping?"

"Most do, but I can have one in the middle of the day just as easily. I never know when to expect one. But I always know when I'm having one."

"Will you tell me when you get more of your visions?" The answer to this question should be very interesting Neytiri thought as she studied Ralu's face while she answered.

"If it is something that will not cause you or Jake pain, then I would most likely tell you."

"Wouldn't it better if Jake or I knew that something painful was coming? We could prepare for it, or avert it altogether." She smiled inwardly at this ploy that her own mother used often, and effectively.

"Possibly. Until such a vision happens it is impossible to say what would be best for everyone involved."

"You carry a big burden for one so small. I want you to know that I will always be here for you—and so will Jake—anytime you need to share that burden."

"I know you will…Mother? Storms are coming. Some will come from Eywa while others will be of our own making."

[xxxxx]

When Neytiri heard the familiar sound of banshee wings she looked up just as Jake landed in the small clearing in front of where she and Ralu were standing. Moments later, Ell'a'u and Tey'bar landed and dismounted as Jake had done. After giving his banshee an affectionate rub along its smooth neck he set it free with a dismissive wave of his arms. Ell'a'u and Tey'bar freed their banshees as well, walking over to where Ateyo and Neynat were standing.

"The Samson should be landing shortly," Jake said after he strode over to where they were standing. "Is your patient behaving himself?" Jake added, speaking to Ralu with a nod to where Norm lay on the litter just a short distance away.

"Yes. He could hardly do otherwise. Norm's spirit has not returned."

"That's probably for the best."

"Rocky—not sure if you remember him—told me that they came across six trees that might make a decent home for our people. He said that they were about half the height of Hometree, located alongside a river. Most importantly, the trees appeared to be unoccupied."

"That is interesting. How far away were they?" Neytiri asked as the sounds of distant rotors reached her ears.

"About an hour by banshee, possibly a bit more. They are mostly south of here. A direction Ell'a'u and her teams did not search."

"Six trees would give our people room to grow. It also could splinter the _Omatikaya_ into opposing groups." This was something that she was already worried about, give the altercation that had led to Norm being stabbed.

"Once the Samson arrives we can question the avatars on board, see what they thought of them."

"These avatars have never lived in a tree. I'm not sure what value their opinions would have."

"Good point. At the least they can give us a good description of them and the surrounding area." Jake sensed that Neytiri seemed distracted, irritated even though she was trying hard to hide it.

"We should go and see for ourselves as quickly as possible. The sooner our people can focus their time and energy on something positive the better."

"I'm not sure we should leave our people alone at the moment. We need to find shelter from the severe storms that Norm said could be headed our way."

"My feeling is that most of our people would feel more at ease staying here next to Eywa and the Mother Tree. Some would go just because you asked, but they would rather stay here."

"In that case maybe we should give these trees a quick once over. As it would take several days to move everyone that far, I wouldn't want to start something like that until we are sure where we are going will work."

"Yes, I agree."

"Looks like they are about to land," Jake added as the Samson appeared over the treetops and began to descend towards the clearing. "We can ask Rocky if he has enough fuel and time to take us there before they head back to their base."

"Can I go too," Ralu asked as the wind began to swirl around them. "I could tell you if the other children would like this place."

"You think so, do you?" Jake asked, pulling her next to him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"What do you think, Neytiri? Should we bring the midget?"

"Assuming they have time to take us, it would be for the best." Neytiri didn't add that she would feel uncomfortable leaving Ralu behind, even though she knew Ell'a'u or some of the other people she trusted would look after her. And Ralu did have a valid point. What the potential new home looked like to a child's eyes would be important.

As soon as the Samson landed, Judy and Abby jumped out and made their way over to where Jake was standing.

"We can get Norm's avatar aboard," Abby said speaking to both Jake and Neytiri, with a quick glance at Ralu.

"That would be great," Jake answered. "I need to talk with Rocky."

Leaving Neytiri to help Abby and Judy, Jake jogged over to the Samson.

"Kyle, Buck, good to see you again."

"Same here," they both replied.

"Rocky, can you take Neytiri and me to where you saw the trees that might make a home? I know it's a lot to ask, but if they are going to work I'd like to get the clan moving there as soon as possible." Jake asked after Rocky had opened the cockpit door.

"Fuel's not a problem," Rocky answered, scratching his chin. "Neither is the daylight. The weather could be a problem. Not sure just how much time you would have to check the place out. At hour at most would be my guess."

"That would probably be enough," Jake replied. "It would either eliminate them as a possibility or tell us that the trees warranted further investigation."

"Rocky, we should do this," Buck added. "Unless you feel there is a safety concern due to the storm front moving in."

"Kyle?" Rocky asked.

"Yeah, I think we should give it a shot. Even if Jake and Neytiri only get to check it out from the air it would be worth the trip. Besides, I'm in no hurry to get back."

"Hi, I'm Zoe." Zoe had been following the conversation and introduced herself when Jake looked directly at her for the first time.

"Nice to meet you again. We met once before back at Hell's Gate—when my body was like yours."

Jake waved at Neytiri and Ralu to come a head when Abby and Judy started to load Norm's avatar into the Samson. Jake was a bit amused when Neytiri bent almost as low as Ralu's standing height. Remembering that this would be her first fight in a machine he hoped that she would do all right. The wide grin on Ralu's face told him that she could hardly wait for the adventure to begin.

"I told Ell'a'u and Tey'bar to take the others back. Ell'a'u will tell mother where we have gone. Between them, they can start finding shelter for the night."

"Good idea. Climb in," Jake gestured to Neytiri after Ralu scampered aboard and sat down next to Norm's head.

Once everyone was seated, Rocky powered up the turbines. As the rotors built up speed the Samson rose slowly into the air. Neytiri and Ralu were sitting inboard, their backs against the aft wall, on opposite sides of Norm's avatar that was stretched out on the deck. Jake sat next to Buck so that it would be easier to talk with Rocky during the flight. Sitting directly across from Neytiri, Jake watched her face as the Samson rose steadily upward.

"It's not quite the same as flying with your banshee," Jake said when Neytiri's face showed her apparent unease. "Not having that feeling of absolute control is a bit intimidating. You get used to after a while."

"Possibly, but I'd still rather be flying with a banshee."

"We are going to have to get you up to the rookery soon. Not being able to fly will become a problem sooner rather than later."

"Yes, I was thinking about that when you went gone. Hopefully we can make the trip in the next few days."

"Everyone, this is Ralu," Jake began when he realized he had not introduced her, being preoccupied with how Neytiri was going to handle flying when she was not in control. "She is our newly adopted daughter."

"Nice to meet you," Abby replied, as they sat shoulder to shoulder.

"Nice to meet you," Ralu replied, figuring the greeting was similar to the customary Na'vi greeting.

"We should be there in forty five minutes," Rocky announced after all of the adults had greeted Ralu. "We won't be able to get a fix on the storm front's location until after we get out of the mountains. If it's close enough for the doppler radar to echo I should be able to get a rough estimate of when it will hit. Might even be able to calculate wind speeds along the front."

When the Samson shuddered as it hit a small pocket of turbulence Neytiri tried to not let it bother her. Being enclosed wasn't helping. As all the other avatars seemed relaxed she tried to do the same.

"While we were mounting a Geo-Pack to one of the trees we discovered there was a banshee with what looked to be a broken wing hiding in the upper most branches." Kyle said after the turbulence passed. "It looked to be quite large, at least from our limited exposure to it."

"How close were you able to get?" Neytiri asked, glad to have something to do other than just sit and ride.

"Not very. We didn't even try to get near it in the tree," Kyle answered. "We spotted it from the air. That's when we noticed its right wing was hanging limply at its side."

"That was wise. An injured banshee is usually very dangerous. Always unpredictable."

"Can their wings be healed?" Judy asked.

"No, not usually. If the banshee has already bonded with its rider and the break is not too severe a splint can be fashioned that allows the bones to heal."

"I was afraid that would be the case."

"I wonder how it got up in the tree in the first place." Buck questioned. "I doubt it climbed up to where we found it."

"Most likely it was fighting with another banshee," Neytiri began. "It could have broken its wing trying to get away from its attacker."

"That make sense," Judy added.

"I have a fix on the storm front," Rocky announced. "Were in good shape as it's still several hours away. The trees should be in sight in about five minutes." He didn't add that the storm looked stronger than most of the storms he had ridden out at Hell' Gate. And over the years he had seem some doozies.

True to his word, five minutes later Judy pointed out the trees to Neytiri who leaned in front of her to get a better look at them.

"That river just off to our right passed between the trees," Judy added as Neytiri continue to gaze at the trees as they steadily grew larger.

"I'll make a pass over the surrounding area and set down where we did earlier," Rocky said as he began to descend.

Leveling off a few hundred meters above the treetops Rocky made a complete circle around the group of six trees. As no one mentioned seeing anything hostile he brought the Samson in for a landing in the clearing beside the riverbank.

"I'm going to leave the turbines idling just in case we need to make a quick exit. Jake, you've got one hour, and then we need to head back."

"All ashore that's going ashore," Buck announced as he leapt out into the knee high grass.

"Ralu, you stick close to me or Neytiri," Jake said as he helped her out of the Samson.

"Yes daddy." Her reply was what one he would have expected from a smart mouthed teenager. But she said it with a smile that left Jake feeling she could get just about anything she wanted from him.

"We mounted the pack in the tree directly in front of us," Buck commented as he and Abby rounded the Samson and joined the others. "We didn't notice any signs that indicated people were living here."

"I don't see any of the normal signs I would expect to see here by the river bank if a clan were living here," Neytiri replied as she gazed around the clearing. "I'm a little surprised this place isn't occupied. It's almost perfect."

"The banshee is…was around the far side of the tree, just below the treetop," Kyle added as he and Buck moved off in that direction.

"Let's check out the other trees," Jake began. "See if we can find any sign that a clan has lived here recently."

When Neytiri looked at Judy when she dismounted one of the Hydra door guns Judy said, "Just in case. It would be embarrassing to get caught by surprise."

Not having her bow, Neytiri realized that it was probably a good idea. If she hadn't been so nervous about flying in the Samson she would have remembered to bring it along.

Neytiri quickly caught up with Jake and Ralu as they made their way to the tree nearest the riverbank. She noticed that some of the upper branches hung out over the river. The shadows cast on the water made it possible to see several large fish swimming not far from the bank.

"If a clan lived here it was a long time ago," Neytiri began. "The fish are not concerned by our presence. That tells me no one has hunted them in quite some time."

"It has a deserted feeling," Jake said as he looked up at the tree in front of him. "Well there are a lot more trees than there are clans. Could be no one ever came this way or if they did, they already had a home."

"Yes, that makes sense," Neytiri answered, a shiver passing through her as she picked up on Jake's impression. "Ralu, what do you think of this place?"

When Neytiri turned to look at her daughter, Ralu was standing perfectly still, her normally bright eyes glassy as she stared off towards the next tree.

"Ralu?"

"What's the matter?" Jake asked as he turned when he heard the concern in Neytiri's voice.

"I think she's having a vision. We shouldn't disturb her until she comes out of it by herself."

"A vision? What do you mean a vision?"

"Ralu has the gift of foresight. It is very, very rare. We were talking about it while we waited for you to return. She told me that she sometimes gets them during the day. By all appearances I'd say she is having one now."

"Does it hurt her?"

"She never said. I'm assuming it doesn't physically hurt, but emotionally is another matter."

"How long—

"She's coming out of it," Neytiri interrupted as the stiffness in Ralu's body disappeared and her eyes returned to mostly normal.

"Are you all right?" Neytiri asked as she laid her hand on Ralu's shoulder.

"Yes, but I think we should go. This is not a good place. Something bad happened here a long time ago."

"What? What happened here?"

"I don't know," Ralu answered, her voice cold, almost mechanical. "I think many people died here, those that didn't went somewhere else to live. I can't see it clearly. The strongest feeling I get is terrible sadness."

"Ralu, are you okay?" Jake asked as he crouched down in front of her so that he could try to read what she was feeling.

"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry if I scared you."

"Worried me a little, that's all." Jake answered as he brushed his hand gently on the side of her face.

"Unless you feel that we are in immediate danger I think we should check the place out as much as possible in the forty five minutes we have left."

"No, we'll be okay. Whatever happened here happened a very long time ago."

"Regardless, let's keep an eye out for anything threating or out of the ordinary."

"Looking around I can't imagine a more perfect setting for our clan—or any clan for that matter. Ralu, if anything else comes to you let us know."

"Mother, you'll be the first to know," Ralu replied cheerfully, her mood snapping back to normal.

"Judy, we're going to check out this tree," Jake told her when she and Abby joined them at the base of the tree.

Similar to Hometree, but on a smaller scale, the tree had a winding core of interwoven smaller trees that made it easy to ascend into the tree's upper reaches. Less than half way up Neytiri stopped to examine one of the trunks that branched off horizontally. It was large enough to permit walking without feeling like you had to pay close attention to your balance. Taking a sudden turn onto a side trunk Neytiri knelt down and began to feel the bark with her hands.

"Jake, feel here," Neytiri gestured. "You can feel the indentation in the branch. It's healed over now, but many years ago there was a sleeping hammock tied to this branch. The other ends were most likely tied to the branches across from this one. By the width and depth of the scar I would guess that this hammock was used for a large family."

"So this place was used by the Na'vi. Like you said, it is a perfect setting."

"I'm sure we will find more evidence if we look close enough."

"True, but what's the point? We know that a Na'vi clan lived here in the past. The real question is how long ago, and why did they leave?"

Taking out her knife, Neytiri cut into branch along the indentation.

"It's hard to tell with any certainty," Neytiri began as she pointed to the slice she had taken out of the branch. "But from the growth rings I would guess that it has been many generations since this tree was lived in."

"Ralu, it's too bad you didn't get more of an idea about what really happened here." Jake didn't want to question the validity her vision, but her less than useful warning wasn't helping much.

"Some of my 'visions' aren't really visions, but more of feelings, sensations that I pick up on. I wish I could tell you more."

"This might be a silly question, but do the spirits of the dead ever linger among the living?"

"The spirits of our ancestors are always with us. You know this. Remember, you heard them at the Tree of Voices."

"I remember much from our time there," Jake answered as he looked directly into Neytiri's eyes. The sly smile that crossed her face told him she remembered their first mating as well as he did.

"What I'm trying to ask is if the spirits have ever done anything to make you uncomfortable? Cause objects to seemingly move by themselves."

From the completely baffled expressions on both their faces he knew this wasn't going to lead anywhere.

"Let's forget that possibility for the moment. What about sickness that affects may people at the same time? Possibly a large number of people dying in a short time. Has that ever happened before?"

"Not that I can ever remember," Neytiri answered. "There are songs that tell of great tragedy and misfortune. I don't remember anything about many people getting sick and dying. Why are you asking these questions?"

"I'm just trying to come with a reasonable explanation of what happened here that made the people living in these trees abandon this place."

"I have heard stories about clans that became too small to survive on their own. Why this happened could have many reasons; food shortage, many years in which women do not bear children, attacks by other clans."

"Do those things happen often?"

"No. For the _Omatikaya_ none of these has happened in many generations."

"We had better continue looking around since we have to head back soon. We can talk more about this later."

After five minutes of further exploration Neytiri concluded that—Ralu's ominous vision notwithstanding—this tree would serve the clan well as a new home. As there were six of them, any decent sized clan would have room to grow.

"How long before we need to leave?" Neytiri asked when they descended from the tree and started back towards the Samson.

"We have enough time to take a look at the banshee if you want to do so."

"Yes, very much. Ralu I know you would like to see the banshee too, but it would be better if you stayed behind."

"Actually I don't mind." It would give her a chance to talk with the female avatars. Up until now Jake and Norm were the only avatars she had met or spoken with.

"Is it all right if Ralu stays with you?" Jake asked Abby when they reached the Samson. "Neytiri and I are going to go check out the injured banshee."

"Sure, she can hang out with us," Abby answered.

"Rocky, how long until we have to leave?" Jake asked.

"You have fifteen minutes. I'll give a shout on the bullhorn when you're down to five."

Ralu watched her new parents jog towards the tree with the banshee. As soon as they disappeared up the tree she turned to Judy.

"I know it's rude to ask, but I'm curious, are you and Kyle life-mates?"

"It's hard to learn when you don't ask," Judy began. "I suppose we are. Kyle and I have had a thing for each other right for the get-go."

"What's 'a thing'?"

"Sorry that's a common human phrase. It means we are attracted to each other both physically and emotionally."

"Have you had this 'thing' for a long time?"

"Pretty much since we both arrived on Pandora three years ago."

"Do you have a child?"

"No, avatars can't have children."

Ralu didn't miss the sadness in Judy's voice or the feelings of sympathy from Abby. Plus this didn't mesh with the vision in which she clearly saw Neytiri nursing a baby.

"Why is that?"

"It is the way we're designed. Avatars aren't conceived in the normal way. The RDA—that's the name of the group that made us—didn't want its investments having children as that would necessitate having to look after the children. Every action the RDA took regarding Pandora was based on one and only one thing. Profit!"

"I'm sorry if I upset you," Ralu responded after Judy's voice had grown loud and angry.

"Oh honey, you didn't. It's just every time I think about all the crap the RDA has pulled I get mad all over again. Don't pay any attention to me."

"I like paying attention to you. I've never had the chance to talk with a female avatar before. Maybe someday I could talk with you when your spirit is in your human body."

"Sure, we'd like that. Wouldn't we Abby?"

"Sounds good to me."

Before Ralu could ask any more questions, her parents along with Buck and Kyle emerged from the tree and started towards the Samson.

"Did you see the banshee?" Ralu asked her mother when she returned.

"Yes. Sadly it is as I feared. The banshee is very badly injured. I do not think its wing can be mended. I will talk with some of our older people and see what they think."

"All aboard. It's time to head back," Rocky announced as he climbed back into the cockpit.

[xxxxx]

"We'll be landing in five minutes." Rocky called out.

"Jake, would it be okay if we installed a Geo-Pack at the remote control station?" Zoe asked. "I would like to get a second pack installed on this continent. We are using the data from the packs to monitor continental drift and changes in weather patterns."

"Sure, that would be fine. None of our people go near the station so it shouldn't upset anyone."

"Great. Thanks."

"Zoe, does the Geo-Pack have the ability to communicate by voice back to Hell's Gate?" Jake asked, thinking about a problem that had been troubling him for a while.

"Yes. All the packs have built in voice activated audio. They have video as well. We can remotely monitor audio and video from the Ops Center at Hell's Gate. The pack also has a 'call' button that you can use to page the Ops Center if you want to get our attention."

"I've been wondering how to keep in touch," Jake began, addressing the four avatars. "Norm has been our link up until now. But with his avatar going back to Hell's Gate we wouldn't have any way of communicating with each other if something urgent came up."

"With everything that's happened and all the instability caused by the continent splitting up we should have some means of keeping in touch," Buck agreed.

"Now that we are located on different sections, accessible only by air, having a comm link is almost essential," Judy added.

Rocky brought the Samson in for a smooth landing beside the badly damaged remote control station. Jake jumped down and waited for Ralu and Neytiri to join him, while Kyle retrieved a Geo Pack from the cargo locker.

"From the latest Doppler readings it looks as if the worst of the storm is going to stay south of the mountains," Rocky said after he opened the cockpit door so that he could speak with Jake. "You are going to be for some torrential rains, but the one hundred plus mile an hour hurricane force winds should miss you. Might get some strong lightning strikes as these mountains are natural conduits for electrical discharges."

"How long before the storm hits?"

"Three hours, give or take."

"We'll have the pack mounted in five," Buck called out as he and Kyle quickly jogged over to find a suitable place to mount the pack.

"It was very nice to meet you." Ralu addressed Judy and Abby who had disembarked as well to stand beside the aircraft.

"Same here," Judy answered. "I hope we see each other again. It would be nice to have some quiet, peaceful time where we could just sit and talk. If and when tensions settle down maybe you could show us around sometime."

"Yes, I would like that very much."

"Thanks for watching after our daughter," Neytiri began. "Jake and I appreciated it."

"The pleasure was ours," Abby answered as she placed her hand affectionately on Ralu's shoulder.

"Zoe, the pack is mounted and powered up," Buck radioed. "Jake if you and Neytiri will come here I'll show you how to work the comm link on this pack."

"Thanks again for all you have done," Jake told Rocky before he took Ralu's hand and walked over to where Buck was standing by the newly mounted Geo Pack.

"It's pretty simple. Even Ralu can operate the comm link," Buck began. "Twist this knob to open the water tight door and press the orange call button. After that all you have to do is talk and listen. Once Zoe finishes her diagnostics we can test it out."

"Can't ask for easier than that, can you?" Jake asked Ralu.

"No, I guess not."

Jake sensed Ralu's apprehension which puzzled him after her excitement over flying in the Samson.

"Something about this bothers you," he asked when she shifted closer to him.

"It seems strange that you can talk with someone who isn't there."

"Stanger than flying in that?" Jake asked as he gestured towards the Samson.

"Yes. It is easy to see that the Sky People's bird can fly. It makes great wind so that it moves through the air. Like a banshee, but with much noise."

"I see your point, I think," Jake added. "The Samson is something you can see. You can touch it, feel its power. This on the other hand you can't imagine how it works, so it's a little spooky."

"Spooky?"

"Scary, unsettling, leaves you feeling uneasy without a good reason as to why. That sort of thing."

"Yes, I understand."

When a small video screen came to life, Ralu pressed closer to Jake as Gary's voice accompanied his face on the screen.

"Jake, good to see you."

"Likewise," Jake responded.

"Looks like we're all in for a storm," Gary began. "Us more than you though. I just finished telling Rocky he needs to get back here ASAP. Get in touch once the storm passes, okay?"

"Will do."

"Got to run," Buck stated as he closed and sealed the door to the comm link. "Take care of yourselves. Bye Neytiri, Ralu."

Waving, Buck quickly jogged over to the Samson and climbed aboard with the others. Judy waved as the Samson rose into the air and quickly disappeared over the treetops.

[xxxxx]

"Neytiri, are you all right?" Jake asked when she had been quiet for several minutes as they made their way back to the Well of Souls.

"Yes, I'm fine. I've been thinking about the trees we just visited. They would make a perfect home for our people…"

"Except for Ralu's vision, warning."

"Yes, except for that. I know you felt something," Neytiri said to Ralu who was walking between them. "What I've been trying to figure out is if the danger you sensed was in the past and is no longer a threat. Or if it's still there waiting to strike out again."

"Mother, I wish I could tell you more, but I just didn't get anything more than I've already told you."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure everything will work out one way or another."

"I'll try, but it's hard when I know that our people desperately need a home and the trees by the river look so perfect."

"I am going to ask mother what she thinks about the four of us bonding with Eywa to see if we can pick up on what may have passed at those trees in the past."

"The few times I have bonded with Eywa I felt…I just felt more. It's hard to explain."

"Yes I know it is." Neytiri answered as she drew Ralu next to her for in a firm hug.

By the time they returned to the gathering area the sun had vanished behind ominous dark clouds racing across the sky. The wind was blowing steadily, creating a continuous background noise that contrasted with the normal quiet surrounding the Well of Souls. The area was mostly deserted. Jake spotted Tey'bar and Ell'a'u by the cooking pits. From the way they were gulping down food he figured they were fueling up just in case it was going to be a long time before they ate again.

"Have you seen mother," Neytiri asked when they reached the fire pits.

"She was here a short time ago," Ell'a'u answered.

"Have our people taken shelter from the coming storm?" Jake asked, indicating the mostly empty gathering area.

"Yes they have," Tey'bar answered. "We were waiting for you to return. We have found a place at the base of one of the arches. It is large enough for the six of us—that would include Mo'at—and is fairly well protected."

"We should gather up any remaining food," Neytiri began. "It will spoil if left out in the rain."

"We gathered what little there was. Tey'bar and I were eating some of the cooked meat that won't keep in any case."

"I see you have returned." Mo'at walked up to the others having finished checking on as many of her people as she could.

"Yes. We have—"

A bolt of lightning flashed overhead illuminating the area with an eerie blue cast. The crack of thunder was almost immediate and loud enough to hurt the ears.

"Our shelter is this way," Tey'bar said as a second bolt of lightning flashed and fat, heavy raindrops began to fall.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Hell's Gate, this is Sampson One. We will be arriving in ten minutes."

"Roger that, Sampson. I'll open the hanger bay door once you are on the tarmac," Gary answered. "Welcome back. Is everyone okay?"

"We're all doing fine, Gary." Rocky glanced at Zoe who looked more than a little relieved that her first foray outside the compound was about over.

"You're only about thirty minutes a head of the storm front. Looks like we are going to be in for one a hell of a blow," Gary announced.

"Yeah, I know. I've been watching it on the radar."

"The atmosphere inside the complex has been fully restored. After you get the Samson shut down, you and Zoe come on up to the Ops Center."

"Will do. Hell's Gate in sight. Landing in five."

Gary watched the Samson arriving from the west. It was getting bounced around pretty good in the winds that were already kicking up. He was more relieved to see it that he had admitted to himself while they were gone. He hoped that Zoe had enjoyed her first trip into the wilds of Pandora for the most part. If she hadn't, he hoped she wouldn't blame him too much. From his conversations with Rocky he knew that there had been some pretty intense moments. Hopefully nothing that would leave her emotionally traumatized for the next few days.

When the Samson touched down on the tarmac Gary opened the hanger bay door remotely through his command console. Once the Samson was safely inside he instructed the door to close behind them. Letting his gaze sweep across the tarmac, to the processing plant beyond, he let his thoughts drift to the world outside the perimeter, to their future. To their very uncertain future.

After Quaritch had been killed and his security forces defeated, it had seemed like a great idea to stay on Pandora. There was nothing for him back on Earth. No family, no career, nothing of any value. His existence had been little more than that of a mole living underground, almost never seeing the sky. Everything had been dark, drab and dull. Here on Pandora he had bright sky, raging storms, lush green forests, a veritable feast for his starving eyes. Now, just a short time after the other humans had been sent back to Earth, he was beginning to get an inkling of what his future was going to be like. Without purpose and someone to share his hopes, his dreams and fears with he knew that he would eventually lose his zest for life. Zoe was the one person that came to his mind. Even if their relationship never became more that friendship, he was sure that she would be the balancing force in his life here on Pandora.

Turning from the windows, Gary went back to his console to monitor the approaching storm front via satellite as he waited for Zoe and Rocky to arrive.

[xxxxx]

The avatars jumped down onto the hangar bay floor before the turbines completely shut down.

"We're going to get Norm's avatar over to the prep room before the storm hits," Buck shouted at Rocky when he opened the cockpit door.

"Better make it quick. The storm's practically on top of us already."

"We'll be back before you even know we're gone."

Rocky watched the four avatars, two carrying Norm's stretcher, two with Hydra door guns, set off at a quick trot towards the door leading to the outside.

"I'll take care of post-fight ops for the Samson," Rocky told Zoe as she came around to where he was standing. "You go on up to the Ops Center. Tell Gary I'll be there as soon as I'm finished here."

"Okay, I'll tell him. Thanks for the…interesting afternoon. Can't say as I've ever had one quite like it, or so memorable."

"All part of the service. By the way, you did good today. You can fly with me anytime Zoe."

"Thanks, Rocky."

[xxxxx]

"Max, we are just coming through the gate to the training area," Kyle's voice announced through the comm link of the main console in the prep room. "We'll be at the air lock in two minutes."

"We're ready and waiting. The avatar gurney is in the air lock."

When the red warning light indicated that the outer door of the air lock had cycled open Susan and Ron moved over to the inside door, ready to bring Norm's avatar inside once the outer door was cycled closed. Two minutes later when the air lock status light showed green Ron cycled the inner door, opening it fully so that he and Susan could drive the motorized gurney inside the prep room.

"Max, we're going to garb some food and get back to the hanger deck," Kyle informed him as Susan and Ron drove the gurney out of the air lock and positioned at the first station. "The storm is almost on top of us so we won't be long. Gary, are you reading me as well?"

"Reading you load and clear," Gary replied. "You've got about ten minutes at best before it really lets loose."

"We'll eat what we grab once we're back inside the hanger deck. We'd skip the food entirely but it may be some time before we can feed our avatars again."

"So stop talking and start gathering," Gary demanded.

"Already on it, son."

"How are my avatar's vitals?" Norm asked when he came into the prep room.

"Much better that I expected," Susan answered. "If it wasn't for the Na'vi dressing over a very nasty looking wound I would think that everything was normal, from his vitals that is"

"Ralu, Jake and Neytiri's adopted daughter, packed the wound with some local herbal concoction that stopped the bleeding and eased the pain considerably."

"I don't think we'll disturb the dressing on the wound, just monitor your avatar's vitals and see where that leads us."

"Okay, I'm going back in to help Karen. Call me if there is any change."

"Will do." Susan was already hooking up his avatar to the bio monitors before he left the room.

[xxxxx]

"Zoe, how did everything go?" Gary asked when she walked into the Ops Center.

"As I told Rocky, I've never had an experience quite like it. It's a definite first for me."

"No regrets, no wishing you had stayed here instead?"

"No. I wouldn't have missed it for anything."

"All the Geo-Packs are operating normally. We are already getting good telemetry. The storm—and it's going to be a record setter in every single category—is already on top of the packs you installed on the other sub continents."

"Is it less intense in the Hallelujah Mountains like we thought?"

"Yes, although they are getting a lot of electrical activity and rain, they aren't getting the hurricane force winds. The storm appears to be the most severe between the two western sub continents."

"Oh, by the way. Rocky said he'd be here as soon as he finished with the Samson."

"Gary, we are back inside the hanger deck," Buck announced through the comm link. "It's a real bitch out there. I swear the rain drops are the size of golf balls. If we get any hail we are in for some serious damage."

"I'm going to close the rest of the storm shutters," Gary answered into the comm link. It's nearly pitch black out there already."

"As soon as we eat we'll cocoon our avatars. We should be out of the pods in fifteen minutes."

"Tell everyone in the lab to meet us in the mess hall," Gary began. "We'll fill each other in on everything that's happened. I'll alert Roger to start putting something together for the evening meal. Although he probably already has."

"Will do. See you then."

"Zoe, gather as much data on the storm as you can and load it onto a PVC," Gary began. "We're in for a long night and possibly several days."

"I just can't begin to imagine what it must be like for the Na'vi that are outside in something like this. And I don't just mean Jake and his people. All of the other clans are going to have to live through this storm as well."

"I'd tell you not to worry. That they have lived through this kind of thing before, but they haven't. At least not as long as the RDA has been keeping weather statistics."

"I'm afraid that's about all we can do is worry."

"Yeah, you got that right," Gary answered solemnly.

When a bolt of blinding lightning flashed directly overhead, the immediate thunderclap was so loud it made Jake's ears ring. He could almost feel the shockwave of the air being ripped apart and instantly slammed back together. The pungent smell of ozone filled his nose and acid rain burned his eyes. Ralu had been holding both his and Neytiri's hands as they followed Tey'bar towards the shelter he said was waiting. The lightning bolt that had all but deafened his ears had Ralu swinging up to grab him around his neck. Her piercing scream that all but echoed his own was barely noticeable over the crack of thunder.

"Damn that was close." Jake yelled it at Neytiri. His ears were still ringing so that he couldn't tell just how loud he was actually yelling.

The next bolt made the last one seem almost soothing by comparison. The force of the electrical discharge knocked them all off their feet. He could actually feel his skin prickle from the current flowing around them. The intensity of the flash left him momentarily blinded. By some stroke of luck he had managed to break his fall so that he didn't crush Ralu beneath him. On his hands and knees, with Ralu clinging to him like monkey, Jake blinked rapidly trying to restore his vision. The rain was beating down on his back like rocks dropped from the sky. When his vision partially returned he saw Neytiri kneeling beside her mother, who was sprawled flat out in the mud. He wasn't sure where Tey'bar and Ell'a'u were, or what shape they were in.

"Hold tight," Jake told Ralu as he crawled over to where Neytiri was trying to lift her mother's face out of the mud and water.

"Ralu, hold onto your mother! Neytiri let me take Mo'at."

Jake was scooping Mo'at out of the mud and beginning to stand the instant Ralu had jumped into her mother's arms. Looking around, his eyes just starting to adjust, he spotted Tey'bar helping Ell'a'u to her feet. All of them were caked in mud but that was the least of their problems. Tey'bar shouted something that sounded like 'hurry', but Jake wasn't sure. Glancing at Neytiri and Ralu to be sure they were okay he set off after Tey'bar and Ell'a'u as they hurried ahead.

Several smaller, more distant, lightning bolts flashed around them as they continued to follow Tey'bar. He knew that Mo'at was awake, because she held on tight as he jogged along with Neytiri and Ralu at his side. Just as he was about to ask how much farther they had to go, Tey'bar and Ell'a'u stopped under the edge of a wide, thick arch that had one side blocked by the remains on a collapsed arch. The formation made a small cave like shelter that would protect them from the worst of the rain and wind. It was high enough that flooding shouldn't be a problem. Jake waited until Neytiri set Ralu on her feet before he set Mo'at down so that she could lean against the flat side of the fallen arch.

"This will make a good shelter," Jake told Tey'bar after Ell'a'u sat down beside Ralu. "I hope the rest of our people find shelter as well."

"We are used to taking shelter in storms," Tey'bar answered. "This one is stronger than any that I can remember."

"From what the Sky People told me, the worst of the storm is going to be south of us. I'm worried for some of the other clans."

"They too will find shelter." Tey'bar's voice gave away some of the conviction that his words tried to convey. He didn't want to seem less than a warrior in front of Jake. The man was a legend as far as he was concerned. The _Omatikaya_ would never have or find a better leader than _Toruk Macto_.

"I see you managed to collect a couple of drinking bladders and animal skins," Jake told Tey'bar when he noticed them against the back wall of their shelter. "That was thinking ahead."

"Ell'a'u, pass me one of those skins, mother is starting to shake."

Between Neytiri and Ell'a'u they wrapped both Mo'at and Ralu in the largest of the skins before sitting back down on opposite sides to lock in as much warmth as possible.

"Ralu puts off lots of heat," Neytiri told her mother. "The two of you keep each other warm. It looks as if we are going to be here all night."

"I'm going to fill the bladders," Jake began as he walked over and picked them up.

"Ell'a'u, you and Tey'bar wrap up in one of those skins," Neytiri suggested as she got to her feet to help Jake with the bladders.

When Ell'a'u and Tey'bar just looked at her, Neytiri realized the reason for their discomfort.

"I know you're not mated, but I think it will be acceptable for the two of you to bundle up under the circumstances. I'm sure we can relax the rules for however long the storm lasts."

Satisfied that the two young warriors would do as she suggested Neytiri followed Jake to the edge of their shelter.

"The rain is not cold," Neytiri commented after sticking her hand out to catch some water to splash on her face. "I need to wash this mud off."

"Didn't your parents teach you not to go outside in lightning storms?" Jake asked as he stopped her from stepping out into the heavy downpour.

"I will be quick."

"So will the lightning," Jake added when she just looked at him with that defiant look in her eyes. "You don't want to end up extra crispy, do you?"

"After the next flash I will jump out, wash and jump back in before the next flash can come. I do not want to sit in here all night covered in mud."

"Would you let Ralu go out and wash off?"

"That's what I figured," Jake added when Neytiri went and sat down beside her mother.

After filling both bladders as best he could by holding them out in the rain, Jake set one next to Tey'bar. He couldn't help but smile at how cute they looked snuggled against each other.

"I really don't know what I would do without you two," Jake told them as he crouched down in front of them. "I couldn't ask for better comrades. I appreciate everything you have done for me. Besides Neytiri, there is no one I would rather fly with."

"Now, try and get some rest," Jake added when they sat totally speechless. "That's what Neytiri and I are going to try to do. That is, if she'll share the last skin with me."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

Gary had been correct in his assumption that Roger would have a meal together by the time he and Zoe reached the mess hall. They had met Rocky on his way to the Ops Center saving him a jog up two flights of stairs. Max was the last to arrive with Susan and Ron arriving just moments before. As everyone seemed ravenous, Gary decided to let them all eat before beginning his briefing.

"I'd say that all you have to do is look out the windows to know we're in the mother of all storms, but the shutters are closed for that very reason," Gary began. "The screaming wind is a pretty good clue that we are in the thick of it. The compound is battened down as tight as I can make her. The auxiliary generator is tested and ready to kick back in if necessary. The winds were just over eighty miles per hour when we left the Ops Center. I'm going to let Zoe fill you in on the details as much as we know them at this time."

"The map of what used to be our continent shows that the entire area is covered by one gigantic storm cell," Zoe began after she linked her PVC to the projection display so that everyone would be able to see what she had to show them.

"Based on the size and speed of the storm it is going to take 48 to 72 hours to pass. The strongest part of the storm is located one hundred seventy five miles due west and will arrive here in about seven hours. Maximum winds as measured by satellite are about the same as a force five hurricane. Gary pulled up the specifications for the compound from the RDA databank. The building was designed to withstand two hundred mile per hour winds."

"I guess we're going to see if the RDA got their money's worth for this place," Rocky interrupted.

"Yes, it would seem so," Zoe continued. "Our biggest threat will be from airborne objects. Anything not nailed down will be picked up turning them into missiles. Flying debris could do some serious damage to our dish arrays. Lightning strikes pose another threat, although the compound was designed to handle them. I have no idea how much rain we are going to get, but over the life of the storm it will be measured in feet not inches. Flooding could be a problem. We'll just have to wait and see."

"You're just full of good news," Karen commented.

"Sorry. It is what it is. Our only option is to just sit tight and wait it out."

"While we're waiting I'll remind everyone to keep their exopacks close at hand," Gary began. "Just in case something breaches our outer wall or the winds cause a seal or joint to fail. Also grab an emergency lantern from the rack at the back of the mess hall in case all the lighting fails."

"You're just as gloom and doom as Zoe," Karen added. "Does anyone have something less foreboding to say?"

"I'm not sure if it's less, but I've learned that the clone was given several mind altering drugs on its trip out here," Max began. "Most of them would be illegal back on Earth. Since the clone doesn't have the same legal status as a person and the injections took place out in space it probably didn't violate any laws. What it did do however was place the clone into a near catatonic state. A state that it still in at the present time. Of even more interest is the fact that the clone's DNA is totally human. At first I suspected it would be a hybrid like the avatars. Detailed blood analysis showed up the DNA source and the drugs circulating in its system."

"So how is this thing able to breath Pandora's air?" Kyle asked.

"That's possibly the most interesting discovery that we found," Max answered. "The clone's lungs are loaded with nanobots. From the little we have been able to learn these nanobots absorb the excess carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide that make the air lethal to the rest of us."

"What happens when the nanobots stop working, or just get used up?" Abby asked.

"The nanobots appear to be self-replicating. We plan to run a series of tests to see how the nanobot's population varies over time while the clone is breathing Pandora's air and while it's breathing Earth normal air."

"Too bad we don't have some of those nanobots," Buck complained. "Sure would beat the hell out of these exopacks."

"Actually, as long as the clone lives its body will continue to produce the nanobots," Max said as he glanced at Buck. "It would be a simple process to extract them from the clone's blood and inject them into our blood streams. I'm not suggesting that we do this as there are too many unknown factors at this point. I'm simply pointing out that it could be something to consider in the future."

"You know, another thought occurs to me," Karen began, her face a bit pale. "Maybe the RDA wasn't just planning on using these clones for laborers. Maybe they are planning on colonizing Pandora with suitably equipped humans. I'll bet there would be thousands who would volunteer to come here. The RDA would make a fortune selling tickets to Pandora. Along with the magic elixir that actually lets you survive once you get here."

"I never thought of that," Max replied. "You could be right. This clone could be a test case to see how the nanobots worked in the field under actual conditions."

"Isn't this just a bit farfetched?" Rocky asked. "Even if you could breathe the air, what would they eat? Without AMP suits humans would be just a bunch of puny little ants compared to the Na'vi."

"Puny little humans have a habit of breeding like bunnies and over-running their environment," Ron added sarcastically. "Get a couple of thousand suitably adapted humans here on an isolated island and the next thing you know there will be migrations to neighboring islands to reduce population pressure. This sounds exactly like something the RDA would cook up."

"Max, keep us all up to date on the results of your testing regarding the nanobots," Gary said as he got to his feet. "In the long run it may just mean the difference between life and death. I'll be in Sys Ops if anyone needs me."


	7. Chapter 6

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Chapter 6**

Jake wasn't sure how long they had been huddled under the arch out of the driving rain. Without a watch ten minutes could seem like an hour. Especially when you were just sitting there with nothing to do but stare off into the storm. With the exception of the sporadic bursts of lightning they sat in pitch black darkness. Neytiri hadn't uttered a single word since he sat down. Nor had she offered to share the skin she was wrapped up in. From the illumination given off by the lightning Jake could see that Ell'a'u's head was resting against Tey'bar's shoulder. Both seemed to be sleeping as he hadn't heard a peep from either of them. The only sign of Ralu was a bump under the skin she and Mo'at were sharing. Jake knew that Mo'at was awake as she had been looking out into the storm when the illumination from the lightning penetrated their shelter. In the harsh bluish light she looked very tired and very old.

"Don't you think you're being just a bit childish?" Jake asked after what seemed like hours of total silence from Neytiri. He didn't mind someone having a good pout, but enough was enough. "I was only thinking of your safety. To be mad at me for that is just stupid."

"Don't call me stupid!" Neytiri hissed as she wrapped the skin tighter around herself.

"I didn't call you stupid. I said being mad was stupid. Besides you called me stupid plenty of times. I seem to recall the term moron being used quite freely as well."

"You were stupid when I first met you."

"Actually I think the word you used was ignorant."

"What's the difference?" Neytiri huffed

"Quite a lot actually. I was ignorant of the ways of the forest, of Eywa. But I wasn't stupid, and neither are you." Reckless and sometimes foolhardy came to Jake's mind but he didn't think mentioning them at the moment was the best course of action.

"But you said—"

"I said being mad at me for not wanting any harm to come to you is stupid. The same would be true if I was mad at you for trying to protect me."

"Neytiri, look at me please?" Jake asked when she didn't come back at him.

"I love you. How would I manage to live out the rest of my life without my mate if she got herself killed by a bolt of lightning? Ralu has already lost one mother; she doesn't need to lose another."

"That's not fair." Neytiri's voice caught in her throat as she thought of the young girl who already owned a large part of her heart.

"No, maybe it's not. But it is something we both have to keep in mind. We're not just dependent on each other. We have a young girl who needs and depends on us."

"Yes, you are right."

Reluctantly Neytiri held out the skin she was hording so that Jake could share it with her. The instant his skin brushed up against hers she let out a small squeal.

"How can you be so cold so fast?" Her anger forgotten she began to rub some warmth into his body.

"That's easy when you're the one sitting closest to the rain and wind without any protection."

"Jake…I love you too. I'm sorry that I did not share the skin with you. I was angry with you for…"

"You were angry with me because I told you no, or at least that's what I implied. You just don't like to be told no."

When Mo'at snorted Jake felt Neytiri stiffen. He knew she was going to get testy so he distracted her by brushing his lips softly over hers. At first he felt her resist but after several more soft brushes on her cheeks and forehead he felt her yield as she relaxed and leaned into him.

"See. Isn't this better than being mad?"

"Yes, much better. You are right. I don't like to be told what I must or cannot do. I never have."

"Ever since I was wounded doctors have been telling me what I could and couldn't do. I hated that. It's one of the reasons that I'm here on Pandora. No one was going to tell me that I couldn't take Tommy's place because I was a cripple."

"Tommy? Who's Tommy?" Neytiri had never heard Jake mention the name before. Perhaps he had and she hadn't been paying attention. Since there had been sorrow as well as anger in his voice she knew there something he was not telling her.

"Will you tell me?" Neytiri asked when Jake remained silent.

"Tommy was my brother," Jake began; his heart and voice heavy with the memory of what he had lost. "Tommy was the one who was supposed to come here. This body was created for him, not me. He was a scientist like Grace and Norm. All the avatar drivers were brainy types—"

"What does 'bra'nee' mean?"

"People who are very smart. People that know a lot about science, about things that I never learned, never wanted to learn."

"You are smart. You learned our ways better than all the other avatars." Neytiri wasn't sure where this self-doubt she felt was coming from. One thing Jake had always been was sure of himself, at least that's what he seemed to be. He had never shied away from any of the challenges she had thrown at him. Even the ones that she had been mean spirited about.

"Learning the ways of the Na'vi was about opening your eyes to what was around you. Feeling the forest, the people, and the harmony between them. Grace and the other scientist also wanted to understand how and why it all worked. It's hard to explain the concept of science and I'm not sure it would be a good idea even if I could. Humans are much more curious about what goes on around them, and why. They don't just accept."

"Anyway, I was talking about Tommy. He was killed a short time before he was to leave for Pandora. Because he and I were identical twins I could drive his avatar. So the RDA asked me if I wanted to take his place. I was fed up with the life I was living so I thought sure, why the hell not. Pandora couldn't be any worse than what I had now. So I took the offer and here I am."

"You loved your brother very much." Neytiri waited until Jake seemed to have run out of words.

"I suppose I did. We weren't all that close but we were the only family we had."

"You said you were identical twins. What does that mean?"

"We were both born at the same time, or one right after the other. Our mother carried both of us inside her at the same time. We looked alike but we had different personalities. Don't Na'vi mothers ever have two babies at the same time?"

"No. I have never heard of such a thing. I'm sure I would have if it had ever happened. Does this happen often to humans?"

"No. It's rare but it does happen enough. Remember there are a lot of humans on Earth so there are many twins. Sometimes even triplets."

"I cannot even begin to imagine how a woman could carry two babies inside of her. We get big enough with just one."

"Twins are usually smaller than a single baby while they are inside their mother. But still it's a lot for a woman to carry around."

"I'm not sure how we got side tracked into talking about my brother or twins when we were talking about the fact the neither of us like the idea of being told what we can't do."

"You were trying to tell me that you understood what I was feeling, why I acted as I did. I'm sorry that I took my anger out on you. Please forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive. Neytiri, you are one of the bravest, most caring people I have ever met. That and your loyalty to your people are just some of the reasons that I fell in love with you. You opened up your world, a whole new world for me. At first when you were teaching me to become _Omatikaya_ you were a little scary. I knew that you were testing me, pushing me, teasing me. I have always liked challenges, and you were all of that. Somewhere along the way you snuck into my heart. That's when the Na'vi world became real for me. My human existence was the dream. Your willingness to follow your heart's desire inspired me and gave me a reason to really live, not just exist as I had been since I lost the use of my legs. I owe you more than I will ever be able to repay."

"You owe me nothing. You have given my life new meaning as well."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"What was that all about?" Karen asked after Gary had abruptly left the room in the middle of the discussion about nanobots and their significance.

"You got me," Buck answered. "He sure seemed to be upset about something."

"The whole situation is upsetting," Ron volunteered. "If the RDA has its way Pandora will become just another Earth. Overpopulated, abused and dying."

"Ron, you're just being melodramatic," Susan added. "Even if the RDA is considering establishing a human colony here on Pandora it will take millennia to get enough humans here from Earth to threaten Pandora's eco system. And frankly, from what Earth was like when I left, I don't think the human race is going to survive long enough to be a threat here or anywhere else for that matter. It is possible that many people in high places realize this fact and want to establish a colony on Pandora so that the human race doesn't go the way of the dinosaur. A fate that we brought on ourselves."

"You may be right about the human race becoming extinct," Kyle responded. "If I remember right, the projections for total eco system collapse was less than a century away. Even though the politicians keep disputing the validity of the projections, the conclusions are inevitable. The human race on Earth is doomed. Nothing will save it know. Even if you killed ninety-nine percent of the population the natural resources are depleted and may never return. Without humans, Earth might recover in a few million years. By that time the sun will be ready to burn out or some interstellar object will have collided with the Earth and finished what's left of the dying world."

"Jesus! What did Roger put in this food?" Rocky asked. "Whatever it was he should just keep doing it. Now you all sound like me."

"Oh, shut up, Rocky!" Judy said as she threw a disgusting look his way.

"I'm afraid that Kyle is right," Abby began. "We all know the facts. Earth is dying and there is no stopping the process. In a sense that's why we are all here. It's why we chose to stay. At least that's why I chose to stay."

"It's why I stayed," Zoe offered. "For me, there is nothing to go back for."

"I think that applies to all of us to one degree or another," Max added. "For some of us the avatar program has been our life's work. To go back would be to abandon that."

"Ever since I was a kid I wanted to come to Pandora," Norm began. "The pictures of the rain forests, the Hallelujah Mountains, and most of all the Na'vi people, caught my imagination. This is the only place I have ever dreamed about wanting to be. When I got the chance to join the avatar program it was as if all my dreams had come true. The only way I will ever leave this place is in a body bag. Which means I'll never leave, and I wouldn't have it any other way?"

"It's sort of the same with me," Karen added, regret sneaking into the back of her mind for not wanting Norm to link with his avatar. Something he so obviously loved. "When I joined the avatar program as a technician I was thrilled beyond belief. To leave Earth wasn't a hardship. It was a little scary. Especially the thought of being in cryo-sleep for almost six years. Even if our lives end up being shorter, they will be richer by far than they would ever have been on Earth."

"Max, do you think there is any chance that these nanobots will work?" Buck asked. There weren't many obstacles humans couldn't overcome. Even living in an environment where just breathing the air would kill you. If these nanobots could make it possible to be outside without an exopack then maybe humans could thrive here on Pandora.

"We won't know for sure until we can revive the clone and see how well it does." Max answered.

"What are the chances of reviving it?" Judy asked.

"Pretty good actually," Max answered. "My more immediate concern is what affect the mind altering drugs has had, and why was the clone given them in the first place."

"Any idea from the types of drugs?" Karen asked.

"Not totally. Several of the drugs were once used to enhance psychic abilities. Telepathy, that sort of thing. I have more research to do before I can give you any better ideas as to the consequences."

"Interesting," Norm speculated. "Almost all living things on Pandora have a way of communicating with each other, or Eywa, though their queues or roots. The RDA knew that Pandora is one big neural network, or at least its scientists did. Maybe this is an attempt to allow humans to do the same without a direct link into their brain stems."

"Now that is truly farfetched," Rocky added.

"Is it?" Norm answered. "It's going to be very interesting to see just what the clone is capable of."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Do you know what I miss the most?" Jake asked after another indeterminable period of time had passed.

"No. What?" Neytiri answered; her voice thick from sleep as she tried to snuggle closer to him.

"My military issue watch. It could keep track of time in any zone around the world. I could use it in absolute dark. It recorded elapsed time. I would never have expected to miss something as trivial as being able to glance at my wrist and know what time it is."

"It's night time now." Neytiri mumbled incoherently.

"Yes, I know that. What I don't know is how long until the daylight returns."

"When the sun rises daylight will return. It has done so ever since I was a little girl."

By the tone of her voice Jake knew that she was teasing him. This was an old argument that had started shortly after Neytiri began training Jake in the ways of the _Omatikaya_. He had always wanted to know when, how long. She had always replied when the time was right, when he was ready. Neither gave an inch towards compromise.

"Try to sleep. The night will pass more quickly. Daybreak will be here soon enough."

"I can't sleep. My mind keeps replaying everything that has happened since the day began. Besides that, we're in the middle of a terrible storm that doesn't show any signs of easing off. I'm guessing that we have had almost a foot of rainfall. That kind of downpour leads to flash flooding. Someone needs to be awake to sound the alarm if we suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a damn river."

"Try not to worry so much. Eywa will not drown all of us."

"Right about now, Eywa is probably drowning herself. That bowl the Mother Tree sits in is probably filled with water. I'll bet only the top of the tree is above water. I sure hope none of our people took refuge anywhere near the Well of Souls."

"Jake, why are you so edgy? Did the Sky People tell you something that you are keeping from me?"

"No they didn't tell me anything that you don't know. My nerves are just a bit over stimulated. I can't remember the last time we laughed. I keep waiting for something awful to happen again. Even though I know that's being stupid—see, now I'm calling myself stupid—I can't seem to stop worrying."

"If we were alone I could probably distract you from your worries," Neytiri whispered in his ear. After which she proceeded to nibble playfully on the side of his neck as her hands roamed freely over his body.

When a low groan escaped from Jake's throat Neytiri continued to whisper in a voice that only he could hear. "See. Now you're not worried as much as you used to be."

"Stop. You're killing me."

With great difficulty and a great deal of mental effort, Jake unwound himself from Neytiri's over stimulating embrace. Damn, she really knew how to use her hands, Jake thought to himself as he made his way to the edge of the shelter. It was becoming obvious that she could be one hell of a tease when she put her mind to it. One thing for sure, he wasn't cold any more. Sticking his hand out into the rain he was glad that the rain wasn't cold. He was quite certain that some of his people weren't as dry as he was.

"If you worry about everything you will miss the most important things that need to be worried over," Neytiri said as she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his back.

"I've never been responsible for so many people before. I honestly don't know how to handle it. In battle you know that people around you are going to die, it can't be prevented. But now, I feel as if I should be able to prevent anyone from dying. And if they do, as they did today, I feel that I have failed our people. That's not an easy load to carry."

"You don't have to carry it by yourself. Mates share their burdens. I am more than willing to share yours. In fact, you would hurt me if you do not allow me to. I would feel that you think me unworthy."

"Oh that's just bull-shit, Neytiri and you know it," Jake began furiously after he turned around so that they were face to face. "The day I think you're unworthy of anything is the day they serve snow-cones in hell. I know that you would carry all my burdens if I asked, or if I couldn't carry them myself. You don't need to make me feel guilty. I'm more than willing to share them with you. In fact I don't see any way round it. Neither of us is going to be able to look after all our people by ourselves."

"What is this snow kone?" Neytiri asked, her eyes dancing with amusement and laughter.

"It's something you will never get to see unless we take a very long trip to the top or bottom of Pandora. And before you ask where the top or bottom is located, you have succeeded in distracting me from worrying myself to death."

"This is good. I would not like to see you die from worry. You are practically brand new. I plan to get years and years of use out of you."

"I plan to get years and years of use out of you too. Now that the lightning has passed why don't we step out into the rain and wash the mud off each other."

"Yes, why don't we," Neytiri replied as she took Jake's hand and pulled them both into the pouring rain.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Listen to that wind howl," Kyle commented as the volume began to climb steadily.

Conversation died as everyone stopped to listen to the storm raging outside the complex. Since Gary had left the mess hall the sound created by the wind had risen to the point where it seemed the roof would come off any minute. Thunder, both rolling and sharp was virtually continuous. Several times the ceiling lights had flickered briefly. Zoe was just as concerned for Gary as she was about the storm that surrounded them. She had seen sorrow as well as anger in his eyes when he left the room earlier. Guessing that he needed some time to himself she had refrained from going after him immediately. Whether it was nerves caused by the storm or just her concern for Gary, she needed to get up and do something.

"I'm going to go and check on Gary," Zoe announced as she stood and stretched the muscles in her legs that had tighten up from sitting, and from the tension.

"If there's anything new on the storm just give us a shout," Buck began. "Since I doubt we will be getting any sleep tonight we'll be right here. Cards anyone?"

During the short climb to the Ops Center Zoe wondered how to broach the subject of what was bothering Gary. Not coming up with anything brilliant she decided to play it by ear. She found him exactly where she had expected to find him, at the main command console. When she walked up behind him and laid her hands on his shoulders he jumped.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"The way the wind is howling I doubt I'd have heard an elephant come up behind me. Jesus, this is one tough bitch of a storm. The winds are gusting in excess of one fifty. We better hope they don't get too much higher or we will be in for some serious damage."

Mixed in with the general concern for their wellbeing, Zoe could hear the sadness in Gary's voice. "Can you tell me what's bothering you, or would you rather I just pretend that you're not hurting?"

"It's a long story. It's also a very old story that doesn't really matter anymore."

"If it didn't matter you wouldn't be sad. Since it appears that the storm is going to last for several days that should be enough time for you to tell me about it."

When Gary swiveled around so that he was facing her, Zoe felt both the need to comfort and the need to be comforted. Going on pure instinct she settled herself in his lap and rested her head against his chest. When his arms came around her—hesitantly at first, then more firmly—she knew she made the right decision.

"Back on Earth I had…a sister," Gary began, his voice hitching briefly. "We both suffered from a genetically transmitted blood condition that was very rare and always fatal. Usually victims didn't live much past twenty-five. Heather and I were quickly approaching that age when someone came to us offering a possible cure. What we quickly learned was that the cure involved an experimental drug that was not approved. As our disease was very rare there were not a lot of test subjects. Since our parents had died in an air crash several years before we decided to take the drug. We figured we didn't have all that much to lose. Are you sure you what to hear this?"

"Yes I do. I want to get to know you better. Our past is a large part of who we are. So yes, please continue."

"Where was I? Oh yes. As it turned out the people behind the experimental drug were from the RDA. The drug was created from several plants brought back from Pandora. Bringing living organisms back to Earth was illegal at the time. In essence our blood carried too much carbon dioxide which the lungs could not purge—something to do with the biochemistry of the various cells in our blood. The process was simple enough. We were given the drug intravenously over the course of ten days while they monitored our blood gases. At first we were pretty sick as there were some nasty side effects, much like those from cancer treatments. But after five days we began to feel almost normal again. On the eight day Heather had a severe stroke and went into a comma. She died a week later, never having regained consciousness. An autopsy revealed that she had dozens of small aneurisms in her brain. She was doomed right from the start."

"Obviously the cure worked for you," Zoe said when she raised her head so that she could look up into Gary's face. "And when something comes along and reminds you of what happened you feel guilty about surviving while your sister died."

"Yes, something like that. We were very close because we only had each other. With the very real prospect of not seeing our twenty-fifth birthday, neither of us had ever tried to find someone special to be part of our lives."

"So how did you end up here on Pandora?"

"The RDA offered to train me as a systems specialist and send me to Pandora. They said it was the least they could do to compensate me for my loss. I used to think the real reason was that they wanted to get me off Earth, but lately I've begun to suspect that they wanted to study me more closely. What better place than here where there is no place to go."

"I suppose that make sense. If they just wanted to get rid of the evidence of their illegal drug testing they could have disposed of you."

"I wouldn't have been the first person to die from an unfortunate accident."

"True. Sad but true. So, in all the time you have been here on Pandora have you ever tried to find that special someone?"

"Not really. I knew that the RDA was never going to let me leave, so it didn't feel right getting into a relationship that would end in a few years."

"You are a very good looking man. Surely you must have attracted quite a number of females over the years. None of them every struck your fancy?" Zoe was smiling a bright twinkle in her eyes as she watched a quick smirk cross his face.

"Well…there were a couple of times. Nothing that lasted very long as that's the way all parties wanted it at the time."

"Gary, I'm really a novice at relationships so I'll just come right out and say that I'm interested in a relationship with you. If you feel the same…well we'll just have to see where that leads us."

"Yes, I'm interested. I'm very much interested."

Giving Zoe plenty of time to say 'no' Gary carefully framed her face in his large hands and bushed his lips gently against hers.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

Neytiri sure knew how to make washing in the rain a memorable experience Jake mused as they slipped back into the protection of the shelter. From the look in her eyes he was sure she enjoyed the experience as much as he did. On a strictly hygienic level it did feel good to have most of the mud washed off. His feet were still pretty well caked in mud but that was an everyday occurrence.

"Did you sleep?" Neytiri asked her mother when she and Jake sat down beside Mo'at.

"Yes, for a little while. I can still hear the rain. It sounds like it has slowed."

"Some, but it's still heavier than normal. Has Ralu sleep the whole time?"

"Yes, but I think she has had some disturbing dreams. Several times she whimpered in her sleep. Having the gift of sight is not always easy."

"Knowing more than her six years of age is also a burden for her," Neytiri began. "Sometimes it seems as if she is a very old and wise woman in a child's body. Does this come from her gift?"

"Not a lot is known about her gift. In many cases the gift fades as the child grows older. Only a few adults have been known to possess the gift of sight. I do not know the source of her advanced wisdom. Possibly Eywa has passed this wisdom on to her during the times she was bonded. Normally children this young do not bond as their minds absorb everything around them. Bonding with Eywa at such a young age could be very traumatic."

"I don't get the impression she is frightened by her gift, just by some of the things that she sees. This brings me to something that I want to discuss with you. When we went to see a possible new home for our people, Ralu had a vision, no a feeling that something bad had happened there a long time ago. She couldn't be more specific. All she got was a feeling. After searching I did find evidence that the tree we were in was once used as a home. It is a beautiful place with six trees along a riverbank surrounded by forest. I didn't sense any danger when we were there, but we could only stay a short time. When the storm is past I would like to go back. I want you to go with us. Maybe between you and Ralu you can get a better idea of what caused the feeling she picked up on."

"How far away is this place?"

"It would take a day to reach it on foot."

"With the Sky People's flying machine we could travel both ways and still have most of the day to explore the trees and surrounding forest?"

"Yes, that is true. But we can go on foot if you would be more comfortable."

"It is not matter of comfort, but of time. We need to find a home as quickly as possible for our people. If this place is not going to be suitable we should dismiss it as soon as possible. I am not afraid to travel in Sky People's machine."

"I know you're not afraid. I was thinking about some of our people's hatred of all things connected to the Sky People. I wasn't sure if you wanted to ask the Sky People to help for that reason."

"Finding a new home quickly is more important than the anger it might cause by asking the Sky People for help. Those who are angry or blinded by hatred will not be more so if we accept the remaining Sky People's help."

"This is true," Neytiri responded thoughtfully.

"Jake, the Sky People will come back if we ask?"

"You know they will, any time or any place. They all stayed here on Pandora so that they could do whatever they could to repay the Na'vi for what was done to them. All we have to do is ask and they will be here. Besides, after all this rain traveling on foot is going to be difficult. The rivers are sure to be flooded. Some areas may be totally inaccessible."

"Yes, you are right," Neytiri replied. "We should send those that still have _ikran's_ as well. The more of our people who see this place with their own eyes the better. If we decide this is our new home they will help to convince those who did not get to see it for themselves."

"Sounds like we have a plan," Jake added. "Always a good thing to have. Now if this storm would just hurry and blow itself out we could get started."

"After the storm passes we will have to see to our people first. Make sure they have food. We are all going to hungry if the storm lasts several days."

"You're right. I should have thought of that," Jake answered, feeling foolish for having forgotten about the needs of others.

"Together we will try to think of everything that needs to be done. That is as it should be."

[xxxxx]

The storm, the likes of which Pandora had not seen in more than a century, raged for a day and a half. During that time more rain fell on the three subcontinents than was normal for a month. Monsoon force winds uprooted trees, while ripping limbs from others. Lightning strikes too numerous to count destroyed trees that had been growing for more than a thousand years. The rampages of flash flooding washed both fauna and flora alike down to the ocean in rivers turned into chutes of raging white water.

On the morning after a second night of torrential rain and howling winds, the sun was shining brightly in the eastern sky. Fluffy white clouds were sprinkled across the sky while Polyphemus filled a large portion of the northern sky.

The first thing that entered Jake's mind as he began to wake was the silence. Opening his eyes he peered out of their make-do shelter to see sunshine beginning to filter its way through the trees and arches that surrounded the Well of Souls. The second thing to enter Jake's mind was hunger. He was starving. He had passed hunger the day before. No wonder he had been dreaming about eating Ralu's home-made mud pies and loving every bite.

Neytiri was curled up with her head in his lap. She had the skin they were 'sharing' wrapped tightly around her. Blanket hog, he thought as he smiled to himself. Tucking the braids that had fallen across her face behind her neck, Jake watched a side of her that was rarely visible. Relaxed and peaceful, two things that normally weren't part of her day to day world. Having Neytiri as a constant part of his life made Jake realize just how lonely life had become before she was part of it. Now she was the most important part of it.

"Well, maybe half of the most important part," Jake said to himself as Ralu began to stir.

"Did you say something?" Neytiri asked sleepily as she stretched out and sat up next to him.

"I did, but it's not half as important as the fact that the storm is over. Look," Jake said as he gestured to the daylight making its way under the arch.

"I told you it would end today."

"Yes you did. From now on you're the clan's official weather girl. Well expect updates morning, noon and night with bulletins in between."

"You're just teasing me."

"Would I do that?"

"Every chance you get."

"Jake, do you feel all right?" Neytiri asked when she placed her hand against his chest. "You're cold again."

"That might have something to do with that nefarious 'skin hog' that visited us during the night."

"Oh. I'm sorry about that," Neytiri answered sheepishly when she looked down to see that she had the skin all to herself.

"Don't worry about it. I'll warm up quick enough once I start moving around."

"Ell'a'u, look the storm is over." Tey'bar said as he got quickly to his feet. Before he reached the edge of their shelter Ell'a'u was beside him, placing her hand in his.

"How old does a couple have to be before they can become life mates?" Jake asked as he watched the young warriors walk out into the daylight.

"They are old enough," Neytiri answered, knowing who he was referring to. "It has everything to do with when they feel they are ready."

"May I go outside?" Ralu asked; bringing Jake and Neytiri's attention back inside the shelter.

"Of course, but don't wander far," Neytiri began. "We need to check on the others and make preparations for finding food. Everyone is going to be hungry."

"You got that right," Jake added as his stomach rumbled.

"Neytiri, help your aging mother get to her feet. I'm a bit stiff from sitting so long."

"Here, let me help too," Jake added as he jumped to his feet so that both of them could help Mo'at stand.

"I don't know when I got to be so old, but I do not like it at all."

"You're not old mother."

"Tell that to my bones, and my muscles while you're at it."

"The air smells clear," Neytiri commented once they had walked out into the open.

"How could it smell anything but after being washed for a day and a half straight?" Jake asked. Looking at the mostly clear sky overhead Jake tried to loosen the kinks from his body.

"We had better go and see who's up and about," Neytiri suggested after she was sure her mother was able to walk on her own.

"You run ahead. I'll be right behind you."

"We're not in that much of a hurry," Jake replied as he adjusted the sheath for his knife after slinging his hunting bow across his chest.

Neytiri was slinging her bow as Ralu ran back to where they were standing. "Ell'a'u and Tey'bar said you should come quickly."

"Go, I'll be alright," Mo'at demanded as she motioned for Jake and Neytiri to hurry off.

"I'll stay with grandmother," Ralu offered as she walked over to take Mo'at's hand in hers.

"Where are they?" Jake asked Ralu.

"By what's left of the cooking fire in the gathering area."

"It will only take mother a few minutes to get there," Neytiri told Jake as they set off at a fast trot. "It worries me that she gets this way so often anymore."

"How old is your mother?"

"She is close to fifty, I think."

When Jake and Neytiri reached the gathering area they saw Tey'bar and Ell'a'u talking with several members of the clan. From the exaggerated gestures they both new something was definitely wrong.

"What is it?" Neytiri and Jake asked simultaneously.

"The Well of Souls is flooded," Tey'bar began. "The Mother Tree is partially covered as well."

"Can you tell how deep the water is around the base of the tree?" Jake asked. He was more worried that they would find that one or more of their people had drowned in the water, but he didn't mention it.

"About our height," Ell'a'u answered. "Some of the tree's tendrils are touching the water, but not all."

"Has this ever happened before?" Jake asked. This was one time he could really use Norm's help. His knowledge of Pandora's botany was second only to Grace's.

"Not that I have ever heard of," replied an old Na'vi hunter.

"There is nothing to be gained by hurrying," Neytiri began. "We should wait for mother. This sort of thing is for her to decide what we must do next."

"How many of our people have you seen?" Jake asked. There were several milling about the gathering area, but the number was pitifully small.

"Only those that are here in the gathering area," Tey'bar answered. "More will come as soon as they can make their way here."

Neytiri dreaded telling her mother what had happened. If the Mother Tree died, she was afraid that her mother might just do the same. Everyone in the clan was connected to the tree, but her mother was connected more than most. This was part of what it meant to be _Tsahik_.

When Mo'at entered the gathering area with Ralu she waked directly to where Jake and Neytiri were standing. She didn't have to be told that something was gravely wrong.

"There is no easy way to tell you," Neytiri began. "The Well of Souls is flooded. The Mother Tree is partially under water as well."

Because Mo'at was good at hiding her emotions, Ralu was the only one who felt the sharp pain slice into her. Joined hand in hand, Ralu tried to provide what comfort she could.

"Let us go and see what can be done." Mo'at stated simply before she headed down the path towards the Well of Souls, Ralu's hand still gripped firmly in her own.

"I am worried about mother," Neytiri said quietly to Jake as the group made its way to the Well of Souls.

"She didn't seem terrible disturbed by the news. Maybe she was expecting this might happen. Possibly it's happened before."

"When you can't read mother's feelings, she is really upset or she is just trying to keep you guessing. I'm afraid the first is true in this case."

"Let's not panic unless we have to. It's possible this won't be a problem if the water drains away fast enough."

"Yes, that would be good," Neytiri answered as she placed her hand in Jake's.

Even if their hands hadn't been joined Jake would have felt Neytiri's distress when they topped a rise and stood overlooking a small lake with the Mother Tree rising out of the middle.

For several seconds no one uttered a single word. The natural bowl that held the Mother Tree was filled to overflowing. The quiet serenity they were looking at was almost as devastating as the hellacious destruction of Hometree.

Moving beside Mo'at, Jake placed his hand gently on her back. "Has this ever happened before?" He asked sympathetically.

"Not in my lifetime, or that of my ancestors," Mo'at answered. "I'm sure a calamity such as this would have been passed down between the generations."

"We need to get the water drained as quickly as possible or the tree roots will begin to rot," Jake began. "The longer they are covered with water the greater the damage."

"But how can we empty this much water?" Neytiri cried, her feelings plainly visible in the look of despair on her face. "We cannot possibly remove the water in drinking bladders."

"There is only one way we are going to get this much water out of the Well of Souls. Mo'at," Jake began as he turned her to face him. "We need to ask the Sky People to help us. They have a machine that can remove all of the water much faster than we can do it. I know they will come if we ask. Do you want me to go and ask for their help?"

For almost a minute Mo'at stood silent, looking out over the water that would most certainly kill the Mother Tree if nothing was done about it. The tree was her people's most sacred place, the place they came in times of great sorrow, and great joy. They would survive without it but it would be a real hardship. If Jake was right and the Sky People were able to save Mother Tree, perhaps it would help to ease the anger that threatened to split the clan. Seeing no other option open to her she asked Jake to help her people, and now his, once again.

"If you feel the remaining Sky People could remove the water without damaging Mother Tree then I want you to ask them to help us."

"Does anyone not wish to ask the Sky People for help," Mo'at added as she looked at those gathered at the rim of the Well of Souls.

"Mother, the Sky People who remained here want to help us in any way that they can," Neytiri replied. "Jake should go and call to them now. The longer we delay the more damage the water will cause."

"I will go to the station where the Sky People installed the comm link," Jake stated when no one voiced any opposition. "If my _ikran_ is roosting nearby I will fly there, otherwise I will go on foot."

"We will go with you," Tey'bar added as he looked at Ell'a'u and she nodded her ascent.

"I was counting on it," Jake answered before he turned to Neytiri. "Stay with your mother. She needs you here with her. We will return just as quickly as we can."

"Be careful, all of you," Neytiri answered. Stepping next to Jake she leaned her forehead against his for several seconds before she bushed her lips lightly against his.

"Any idea where our banshees might be roosting?" Jake asked as he looked around for a likely spot.

"No. They could be almost anywhere," Ell'a'u answered.

"Looks like we're on foot then. See you when we get back."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"All things considered, we got off lucky," Gary began as he gazed out of the open shutters in the Ops Center. "The storm broke every statistic on record. If it had lasted as long as we originally thought it would, we might not have gotten off with so little damage."

"Peak wind speed was just under one seventy-five. That beat out the previous record of one twenty," Zoe commented as she continued to review that weather data from the satellite. "The storm is blowing itself out over the ocean. From the orbital images it looks like we are in for several days of sunshine. It's going to be a soggy mess out there for the next week or two. I hope the Na'vi came through the storm okay."

"Any update on the continental drift from the Geo-Packs?"

"For now it looks like the subcontinents are remaining the same distance apart. It's going to take a few weeks to get some decent measurements. From what I have so far, things look relatively stable."

"I'll take all the good news I can get," Gary replied when he turned away from the windows with the pale blue sky visible overhead.

"In that case I'll add that there aren't any reports of damage from sensors inside the complex. The processing plant may be another story however. It's hard to tell if any new damage was done by the storm. The quakes did plenty on their own."

"I noticed that a section of the perimeter fence was damaged by the main entrance," Gary said as he sat back down in front of his console. A good sized tree was uprooted and dropped there by the wind. It's not too badly damaged. The avatars should be able to repair it without much trouble."

"The security cameras in the avatar training grounds showed some minor damage. Nothing that can't be fixed if need be," Zoe added when she swiveled around to look at Gary.

"Hell's Gate, this is Jake. Do you read me?"

When Jake's urgent voice boomed out over the comm link both Gary and Zoe jumped from the unexpected sound of his voice.

"Read you loud and clear," Gary answered as Zoe came over to stand behind him with her hand on his shoulder.

"We need your help," Jake answered, a mixture of relief and anxiety in the sound of his voice.

"What's wrong? What can we do?" Gary answered back.

"The Well of Souls is completely flooded. If we don't get the water drained out quickly the Mother Tree will most likely die."

"You want us fly in one of the large mining pumps? Are the Na'vi going to go for that?" Gary asked as he placed his hand over Zoe's, having sensed her distress.

"Some won't, but most will appreciate the fact that we are doing everything we can to save her. We didn't spend countless lives defeating Quaritch to save the Mother Tree, just to lose it to a fricking storm."

The anger and frustration Jake was feeling came through the comm link as though he were standing in the same room with them.

"It will take us a couple of hours to get everything together and fly to your location," Gary began. "It's just past eight local time. We should be there no later than ten."

"Could you have someone bring me an avatar's chronometer? I seem to have forgotten to bring one with me."

"Is there a place for Rocky to set the pump down near the Well of Souls?"

"Yes, there are a couple of decent places he can set it down. Better bring a couple hundred meters of hose along with it."

"Will we be able to reach you if anything comes up?"

"No. I'm headed back now unless there's anything else you need to know."

"Not that I can think of at the moment."

"One more thing. If Norm is up to it, I'd like him to come with Rocky—in whichever body he is more comfortable. We are going to need is knowledge of botany."

"I'll relay the message to him as soon as we clear."

"Okay, I'm off. We'll be waiting. Over and out."

"Over and out," Gary repeated as he activated the compound wide paging system. "Everyone report to the avatar lab. Jake needs our help. Zoe and I will be there in five minutes."

Gary repeated the message just in case someone missed it the first time.

"Can you access the inventory database from the lab console?" Gary asked as he got to his feet.

"Yes, that won't be a problem."

"Okay, let's get this mission on the move."

[xxxxx]

"Norm, wake up," Karen shouted as she jumped out of bed after Gary's page.

"What?" Norm mumbled, his voice slurred by the deep sleep he had fallen into.

"Wake up. Jake is in some sort of trouble. He needs our help."

"What are you talking about?" The mention of Jake's name had roused Norm from sleeping like the dead to semi-conscious.

"Gary just announced over the PA that Jake needed our help and everyone is to meet in the lab in five—make that four minutes. So get up and get dressed."

"Hell, I can't even find my clothes in four minutes."

"Then you'll just have to go naked."

"I'm hurrying," Norm said as Karen wiggled into her clothes and stood there looking at him.

"Just get you pants on. You can put the rest of your clothes on once we get there."

Having had pretty much the same idea himself, Norm grabbed shoes, socks and a shirt just before they dashed out of his room and headed for the bio lab.

"Did Gary say anything else? Did he say what kind of trouble Jake was in?"

As Norm's imagination was quite fertile, he could picture Jake in just about every conceivable disaster known to man or Na'vi. By the time they reached the lab he was berating himself for having left Jake alone. Which, of course, was stupid, as Jake was more than capable of taking care of himself. Even so, he felt guilty about leaving his friend after Jake had done so much for him.

As several of the others had yet to arrive, he had time to pull his shirt on before he sat down to slip into his shoes and socks. Gary and Zoe arrived by the time he was fully dressed. Kyle and Judy were the last to arrive as was usually the case. As soon as they arrived Gary addressed the group.

"About five minutes ago Jake called in over the comm link. The Well of Souls is flooded."

Norm felt as though the floor had just dropped out from under him. He could not begin to fathom what the people of the Omaticaya must be feeling. The Well of Souls had been their one constant in a world that was shattering around them. To lose that too would destroy what was left of the clan. So deep was his anguish and sorrow that he almost missed what Gary was saying.

"He didn't say if it was directly due to the storm, a flash flood, or some other disaster. He wants us to fly one of the heavy duty pumps used in mining operations to the Well of Souls to drain the water before the Mother Tree is permanently damaged or destroyed."

"Will the other Na'vi allow that?" Buck asked.

"Jake said there might be some resistance, but he didn't think it would be a problem with most of the people."

"The clan members that are against everything we stand for are going to have a hard time drumming up support among the rest of the clan for us not to help in a crisis like this." Norm added as all eyes turned to him. "If you had a firsthand feel for the size of the well you'd realize that there isn't any way for the Omaticaya to drain the water themselves. There must be close to a million cubic feet of water in the basin."

"Those pumps are rated at 250 cubic feet per minute," Rocky declared. "At that rate it will take all most three days to drain a million cubic feet. If I remember correctly the fuel tanks on those pumps hold enough fuel for one day of continuous operation at full capacity."

"The weather according to the satellite looks to be mostly sunny for the next four or five days," Zoe added. "You shouldn't have any trouble making a fuel run once a day."

"The Na'vi don't have any experience with this kind of thing," Abby offered. "In fact they are likely to be intimidated by the whole thing. If this is going to work the avatars need to go with Rocky to install and work the pump."

"I was counting on that," Gary answered. "Norm, Jake would like you to go along. He needs your knowledge of Pandora botany. It's up to you whether your avatar is healed enough to go back into the field. If not Jake still wanted you to come in person."

"We'll link up and meet you at the hanger deck," Buck told Rocky. "It shouldn't take long to gather up what we need to take with us."

"All right, see you in ten," Rocky replied as he rose to leave the lab.

"Max, is my avatar healed enough to take it out?" Norm asked.

"Under normal circumstances I'd prefer you take it out into the training area for some rehab before returning to the wilds, but as long as you don't overdo yourself you should be good to go."

"I'll make you a sling just in case your arm tires," Judy added. "Your muscles are going to be weak."

"Karen, you should go with them," Max suggested. "Judy and Ron will look after the pods. Do you good to get some time in the field."

Knowing that Karen would not stop worrying until all the avatar drivers where back safe and sound, Max thought this would let her keep an eye on them and hopefully easy her mind. Besides she could observe the Na'vi up close and personal.

"Okay. I'll change into field gear and meet Rocky on the hanger deck," Karen answered, a bit shaken by Max's suggestion. "Let him know I'm going along, will you?"

"Will do. Grab an extra exopack. It's always wise to have a spare in the field."

Karen started for the door and abruptly hurried back to soundly kiss Norm. "See ya," she stated and dashed out of the lab.

"Looks like Karen is really up for this trip," Abby commented, flashing a quick grin at Norm.

"It would seem so."

"Okay. Let's get you drivers linked up and ready to go," Ron suggested. "Time is short so we'd best not waste any."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Do we go back now?" Tey'bar asked after Jake secured the comm link.

"Yes, but first I would like to find our banshees if they are anywhere nearby."

"The storm drove them to seek shelter," Ell'a'u replied. "Now that it has past, they will seek us out once again."

"As they are as hungry as we are, they will hunt for food before returning," Tey'bar added.

"I'm sure you are both right. We have time before the Sky People come in their flying machine. We should check the surrounding forest for signs of hexapede's or other game. With a little luck we may be able to take fresh meat back with us."

"We do not need to lead the Sky People here?" Ell'a'u asked.

"No, they know how to return since they have already been here once. Much like an _ikran_ knows how to find its way back home, the Sky People's machine can return to a place that it has already visited."

"The ground is very soft. This will make it difficult for hexapede's to move quickly," Tey'bar commented as the trio searched the trees around them for any signs of their banshees.

"They will likely be herded together for protection from the storm," Ell'a'u suggested. "If any are in the area they will be together and very skittish."

"Okay, let's head back to the Well of Souls," Jake began. "Quietly, in case we come across any fresh tracks."

[xxxxx]

"How many of our people have we accounted for?" Neytiri asked Mo'at when she led a second group of survivors into the gathering area.

"Counting those that you brought back with you we have just over two hundred. That leaves about fifty still unaccounted for."

"We found the remains of two adults. It's impossible to tell if they drowned before the viper wolves got to them, or if they were attacked while seeking shelter."

"They will need to buried properly once we have seen to the living," Mo'at replied, her heart heavy with sorrow from the seemingly never ending loss that was constantly nipping at the heels of their people.

"I will see to it." Neytiri desperately wished that she could do more to lighten the burden her mother was carrying. If her father was still alive her mother wouldn't look as if she was about to collapse physically, and emotionally. They had always supported each other in times of need, great or small.

"What is it Ralu?" Mo'at asked when her granddaughter walked over to stand beside her daughter.

"We have been unable to start a fire. Everything is too wet to burn. My uncle is gathering shavings from nearby trees and placing them in the sun to dry out. He is hopeful that by mid-day he will be able to get a cooking fire started."

"Ea'u'tey is very capable. If he is hopeful then so am I."

"I am going to get some people out searching for food that doesn't need to be cooked," Neytiri said as she placed her hand around Ralu's shoulder to draw her close.

"Look!" Ralu exclaimed excitedly, pointing to where Jake was entering the gathering area carrying a small hexapede over his shoulders. Ell'a'u and Tey'bar had a second, larger hexapede tied to a long staff that they were carrying between them.

Handing the small hexapede to one of the clan's cooks, Jake quickly made his way to where Neytiri was standing beside Ralu and Mo'at.

"They are coming to help," Jake said before anyone could ask. "I expect they are already in the air and should be here soon."

"That is good," Mo'at replied. "I have talked with many of our people and explained why we need help from the Sky People. Most accepted this fact. A few were not happy but could offer no other way."

"Some will never be happy," Neytiri added. "If the Sky People are successful, they will never acknowledge their help. Their bitterness and hatred runs too deep."

"Time may change the minds of those who cannot see," Mo'at began. "I am afraid that a few of our people will never see, no matter how much time passes."

"We can't worry about them now. We have to do everything we can to save the Mother Tree. Once she is safe then we can try to calm those with ruffled feathers." Neytiri was quite certain that no amount of soothing was going to calm ZaeZae's feathers, or those of her closest supporters. Thinking of ZaeZae, Neytiri glanced around the gathering area but did not see her.

"Has anyone seen ZaeZae?"

When no one acknowledged having seen her, Neytiri made a mental note to check more thoroughly after the Mother Tree was being taken care of.

[xxxxx]

The distinct sound of the approaching Samson had everyone in the gathering area looking to the southern horizon. As the craft came nearer the sounds from its rotors reverberated off the valley walls making it impossible to tell here the Samson actually was. For Jake the sound was a relief that the waiting was over and the work could actually begin. More than a few of the _Omatikaya_ were uneasy as the craft grew nearer.

"There!" Jake pointed as the Samson crested the tree tops, a thousand meters from where they were standing.

"I'm going to signal them to land next to that large fallen arch," Jake said, as he pointed to a large open space created when an arch toppled on its side away from the Well of Souls. "Wait here until Rocky kills the turbines."

"How can you kill something that is not alive?" Ralu asked Neytiri as Jake hurried to where he wanted the Samson to land.

"I think he meant that the pilot would stop whatever makes the machine fly."

"Oh, okay. The pilot—I think he was called Rocky—did that when we went to the trees by the river."

"Yes, exactly," Neytiri replied as she watched Jake scramble up on a large section of arch lying on its side.

[xxxxx]

Rocky spotted Jake waving his arms when he was about five hundred meters out. From the air, the Well of Souls looked like a small lake. The sun was reflecting off its surface making it hard to gauge the depth of the water. It was obvious that it wasn't going to be bailed out by a bucket brigade, even one manned by large Na'vi hands.

As he descended towards the spot Jake was gesturing at, the gathering area came into view. The sight of a couple hundred Na'vi looking up at them was a bit unnerving. He fervently hoped that Jake was right and most of them would take their arrival as a sign of help and friendship. If they decided otherwise, things could get very ugly, very quickly. Deciding that anything he said to Karen would only increase her anxiety, Rocky concentrated on setting their cargo down smoothly.

Hovering over the landing area, Rocky gently eased off on the pitch of the rotors so that the Samson slowly descended, its bulky payload suspended ten meters below the bottom of the craft. Kyle and Buck called out 'all clear' as he eased the craft down until he felt the payload touch the ground. He lowered the Samson another few meters so that the avatars could jump down and begin to disconnect the steel support cables from the platform that held the pump and the rest of the supplies they would need. When Norm, who had sensibly stayed aboard, called out that the cables were free, Rocky set the Samson down ten meters away from the pump.

Norm disembarked on the passenger's side and waited for Karen to open her door. "It might be best if you and Rocky stayed with the Samson until I've had a chance to talk with Jake. If he and Neytiri think it's okay then I'll come and get you."

"That works for me," Karen replied.

"Me too," Rocky added.

By the time Norm walked over to where the other avatars were unpacking the hoses and other supplies they had brought along, several of the clan had gathered around to get a better look at what the Sky People were up to. They seemed apprehensive, but interested in what was going on.

"It's good to see you up and about," Neytiri said as she walked over to give him a quick hug.

"It feels even better. I'm a little stiff, but all in all, I'm doing fine."

Turning to Ralu, Norm crouched down to address her. "You did one fine job of patching me up a couple of days ago. Can't say I want to repeat the process, but the next time I need medical attention you're the one I'm going to call."

Not sure what 'medical attention' meant Ralu stepped forward and gave him a hug just as her mother had done. "I'm glad you're back. I have missed you."

"I've missed you too," Norm answered as he gave her an extra squeeze before standing up. "If you're interested, I'll introduce you to Karen a little bit later. For now she's staying in the Samson with Rocky."

"I would like that," Ralu replied, a big smile filling her face.

"I too would like to meet this woman," Neytiri added.

"Just as soon as we get the pump hooked up and operational."

"Jake, why don't you explain to your people how this is going to work," Buck suggested as he and the other avatars began uncoiling the intake hose. "The more they understand the less apprehensive they will feel."

"Do you wish for our people to help?" Neytiri asked.

"Once we start running out the discharge hose we could probably use a few extra hands," Kyle responded.

"How long will it take to empty all of the water?" Ralu asked as she stood hand in hand with her mother.

"Three maybe four days," Abby replied. "We'll know better after the pump has run for a while."

"Norm, grab the donut would you?" Judy asked as she hefted a twenty-five meter length of hose over her shoulder and headed for the water's edge.

"What is the 'doe-nut' for?" Ralu asked as Norm picked up a round object with a hole in the middle.

"We fasten it to the end of the hose that goes into water. This keeps the end of the hose off the bottom where it would get clogged with mud. As the water level goes down, so does the intake."

"Kind of like drinking from the surface," Ralu suggested.

"Yes, exactly like that. Come with me and I'll show you."

"Can I go with Norm?" Ralu asked her mother, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"Yes, but don't get in the way." Neytiri replied with the universal parent's standard warning.

"I think those that are interested have the basic idea of what the pump is going to do," Jake said when he returned. "Mo'at said she would watch with the others. I think she feels that standing with them is important."

"Mother is usually very wise in understanding the mood of our people. When she feels the need to come closer she will do so."

"I warned them not to be shocked when we start up the pump. It does make quite a lot of noise. Where's Ralu?" Jake asked, suddenly realizing she wasn't in sight.

"She went with Norm. I think she has special feelings for him."

"Yeah, I've noticed that. I'm sure the feeling is mutual."

"Would you introduce me to Karen? Norm said she was staying with Rocky in the Samson." Neytiri wanted to meet the woman that Norm was in love with—without Norm. Even if they weren't the same species, they were both female. That she supposed counted for more than their differences.

"Sure, then I'd better see if I can give the avatars a hand."

When Jake and Neytiri walked over to the Samson they found Karen in the mid-section looking eagerly out of the door.

"Karen, do you remember Neytiri?"

"Yes. It's nice to see you again."

"It is nice to see you again," Neytiri repeated.

"I'm going to go see if I can be of some help," Jake said before he turned and headed off towards Buck who was connecting a section of hose to the out-let on the pump.

"Norm is very special to us—what's wrong?" Neytiri asked when tears started flowing freely down Karen's cheeks.

"Nothing's wrong, and yet everything is wrong."

Neytiri had never really talked with a female Sky Person before. She had spent countless hours with Grace's avatar, but never with Grace the human being. Karen's sudden and unexpected anguish caught her completely by surprise. Unsure what to say without making matters worse she just waited for Karen to make the next move, which didn't take but a couple of seconds.

"I know I'm not making any sense," Karen sniffed, as she lifted the exopack away from her face to wipe the tears away, quickly replacing it when she was done. "I've been feeling guilty because I don't want Norm linking with his avatar. Ever since Andy died when his avatar was killed, I've been scared to death whenever Norm's been linked. It didn't help much when he was stabbed the last time out. The problem is, Norm love's being in his avatar. I can hear it in his voice, and see it on his face when he talks about being with you and Jake, and the Omaticaya. All of this is so special to him. Just watching him here, I can see that he loves this very much. I don't want him to hate me someday because he chose me over this."

"I don't know quite what to say," Neytiri began as she tried to decide how to respond. "We have something in common, you and me. We have both loved a man that has—or had in Jake's case—two bodies for his spirit. When Jake's spirit was in his human body, I was always afraid that he would never come back to me. To see his Na'vi body lying there, as if he were dead, was very difficult. It took time before I could accept that he was going to come back. Once he had his own _ikran,_ I no longer thought of him as a human in a Na'vi body. For me he was a Na'vi that died and was reborn with frightening regularity. I wanted him with me all the time. I was jealous of the time he spent with the Sky People."

"I guess that's how I feel, but in reverse," Karen replied.

"Jake had told me that he could not stay in his avatar body for more than a day. His human body needed food and rest just like his avatar body did. On the night Jake was made a member of the _Omatikaya_ we became life-mates. It was a very memorable night for both of us. In the morning when I woke and his spirit was not with me I would have wept, except that the Sky People's machines were destroying everything around us. There was no time for tears, but I felt them anyway."

"It takes quite a lot out of them while they are linked with their avatars," Karen began, trying to enunciate clearly so that the exopack didn't overly distort her speech. "Even though they are cocooned—wrapped inside—their link pods, their body's still use a lot of energy. Norm always eats like a horse—a lot—after he has been linked for several hours."

"Are you and Norm life-mates?"

The question caught Karen slightly off guard. She sensed that Neytiri wasn't being deliberately intrusive, she just seemed interested. "I guess you could say we are. We haven't exchanged vows or anything like that."

"What are vows?" Neytiri wanted to know. Jake had never mentioned anything about them. Possibly they were not important, except that Karen seemed to place some weight in them.

"Vows are the promises two people make to each other when they get married—become life-mates. Mostly things like, they promise to love each other, in good times as well as bad. To be faithful, that sort of thing."

"Do you need to exchange these vows before you can have children?"

For a moment Karen just stared at Neytiri, and then she remembered that Na'vi customs were quite different from human customs. Sensing only a desire to learn, Karen tried to answer Neytiri's questions as fully as she could.

"No, vows are not necessary for children," Karen began. "You only have to have sex—mate—for that. Vows, and a marriage license make the children legitimate, and I know that doesn't mean anything to you. It's just part of our human heritage and customs."

"You can have children if you wish to?"

"Sadly, no. All of the humans sent to Pandora were sterilized. It was an RDA company policy, and a good one. Hell's gate is no place to raise children. With a mix of males and females, the RDA knew that they couldn't prevent some of those people from having sex, so they made sure there would be no babies born on Pandora."

"This thing you call 'ste-ri-li-za-tion' prevents babies from being born?" Something in the back of Neytiri's mind said that this was important to understand. She wasn't sure just why, she just felt it was.

"More accurately, it prevents the woman from getting pregnant, which in the long run amounts to the same thing."

"I do not understand," Neytiri began. "Mates can have sex, but there will be no babies. How is this possible?"

'Oh boy' Karen thought to herself. She wasn't sure just how she ended up discussing reproduction with a Na'vi female, even if she was Jake's mate. Particularly because she was Jake's mate. The ramifications of where this discussion could lead suddenly took on a whole new dimension. If Jake had not told Neytiri about the avatar's being sterile just like their human counterparts this could get very sticky. Treading carefully, Karen tried to answer Neytiri's question without getting too personal.

"I'm not sure how to exactly answer that," Karen started out hesitantly. The Na'vi had no science, so she was sure that the concept of sperm fertilizing an egg was not going to mean anything to Neytiri. She really needed Judy right about now. Judy was very knowledgeable about Na'vi physiology. Of course, it helped that Judy had both a human and Na'vi body of her own so she had firsthand familiarity with each species. "When male and female of any species mate, the male places some fluid inside the female. Do you know what I am taking about?"

"Yes, we call this the 'gift of life'."

"Exactly. Before humans come to Pandora they have a small device inserted under the skin that prevents this 'gift of life' as you call it from ever developing into a baby." Karen was really wishing that this discussion hadn't gotten started. She wasn't shy about discussing sex. She was worried that Neytiri would make the connection that avatars were also sterile just like the humans were.

"I do not understand how this can be." Neytiri's frustration shown clearly on her face. From the moment Neytiri had met Grace, she started to realize that the Sky People knew many things about which the Na'vi knew nothing. True the Sky People knew very little about the forest around them, or most of them didn't. The seed of curiosity that Grace had planted in Neytiri had slowly grown over the years. During the time of teaching Jake the ways of the _Omatikaya_, that seed had continued to grow so that she was no longer content to just accept everything. 'Why' was becoming an important part of her outlook on life.

"Are there people who become life-mates and never have any children?" Karen asked.

"Yes, that happens, but not very often."

"Do you know why that happens?"

"It is the will of Eywa." For the first time in Neytiri's life that reason did not feel satisfying.

"Let's see if I can come at this from a different direction," Karen began. The last thing she wanted to do was challenge Neytiri's belief in Eywa's wisdom. "All Na'vi look similar, but each of you is unique. By similar I mean you have two legs, two arms, one head, that sort of thing. You're uniqueness is in the shape of your face, your ears and mouth. Some are taller, some shorter. Do you understand what I'm getting at?"

"Yes, I think so. Everyone is different, both on the outside, and in here," Neytiri finished pointing her finger to the side of her head.

"Exactly. The thing that makes us all slightly different sometimes makes it so that mates cannot have children. It's not something that you can see, but it is there. In short the 'gift of life' has no 'life'."

"Hey, Neytiri," Jake called out as he walked towards the Samson. "We're about ready to turn on the pump. Go ask your mother if she wants to come closer or watch from where she's standing."

"I need to do this," Neytiri said to Karen as she stood. "I would like to talk with you more."

"I'm not going anywhere." As Karen watched Neytiri walk away she hoped that they wouldn't resume their discussion until after she had a chance to get Jake alone and fill him in on Neytiri's line of questions."

"Saved by the bell," Rocky said after Neytiri was out of hearing range.

"Oh God! You scared me. I had completely forgotten that you were sitting in the cockpit."

"Thanks a lot!" Rocky exclaimed, pretending to have his heart wounded. "You handled that very well, from where I was sitting."

"Trying to explain the most fundament scientific concepts to the Na'vi is a major challenge. On top of that I'm not sure we should. It could change them in ways we can't even begin to predict."

"I'm afraid we've already changed them just by being here."

"Boy, ain't that the truth."


	8. Chapter 7

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Chapter 7**

"We're ready," Buck told Jake after getting thumbs up from Abby and Kyle who were manning the in-take and out-let hoses.

"I hope the noise this thing makes doesn't startle any of my people," Jake replied looking back to where Neytiri stood with her mother and twenty other clan members.

"The bigger issue may be seeing immediate results. It's going to take several days to drain all of the water. I hope no one is looking for instant results."

"Good point Buck. If…no make that when people are starting to wonder if this is going to work, I'll take a few them down to where they can see the flow from the out-let hose."

"We were lucky that there was a natural ravine close by that leads downhill, away from the Well of Souls to use as a channel for the discharge flow. On the flight out I was worried that the Well might be the lowest spot in the whole damn area. That would have been a really big problem."

"Fire it up. The sooner we start pumping, the sooner we'll be finished," Jake ordered.

When Buck hit the starter and the pump groaned and came to life, Jake noticed that Ralu was holding hands with Norm. Both had mud caked on their legs up to their knees. From the expressions on their faces it was obvious that they were having fun helping with the in-take hose. Ralu jumped and let out a squeal when the in-take hose snapped stiff as water began flowing through it.

"Suction and pressure are normal," Buck said loudly over the pump's whine, causing Jake to turn his attention back to the pump. "As long as we don't rupture any gaskets or seals we should be good for the next twenty-four hours. After that we will need to refuel the beast."

"I'm going to go take a few of our people to show them the out-let. It will show them right from the start that water is being drained."

"Warn them not to get too close to the out-let. The pressure of the water being discharged could drill a hole right through you."

"Will do." With a quick glance to where Norm and Ralu stood looking into the water, Jake headed up the short incline to stand beside Mo'at.

"The pump makes a lot of noise," Jake said when Mo'at looked at him, an unspoken question on her face. "It's going to take several hours, say mid-day, before you can easily see that the water level is dropping."

"The stick that Norm placed in the water, is it to show that the water is going down?" Mo'at asked pointing to the yellow surveyor's level sticking up out of the water, two meters from water's edge.

"Yes, but it also allows the avatars to determine how fast the water is dropping. This will tell them how long it will be before the water is completely drained."

"It is difficult for me, for most of us, to understand how a thing that just sits there making noise can move so much water. If we had seen such a sight before we came to know of the Sky People we would have been very frightened of something not a part of our world. When we look past our anger and fear, we can see that the Sky People have things that can be very helpful."

"Not everything about the Sky People is bad," Jake began. "They have many useful machines such as this, Machines that help, not hurt or destroy."

"Let us hope that this machine only helps," Mo'at concluded.

"If you will come with me I'll show you the water being pumped from the Well of Souls. Seeing how much is flowing away will give you a better idea of how much water the pump is actually moving. Just looking at the water in the Well of Souls, it's hard to see anything happening."

Sensing that some of those around her where a little disturbed by the lack of any visible change, Mo'at felt that Jake's request was a good thing to do. Knowing that if she showed optimism for what was being accomplished her people would feel some themselves. Those that saw with their own eyes could tell the others what was happening. The work of gathering food and getting back into a normal routine would go more smoothly if her people had real hope that their sacred place would be saved. Motioning for those gathered around her to come, Mo'at followed Jake and Neytiri as they lead them down a short path following the thick brown root that the Sky People called hose.

Even before they reached the end of the out-let hose, the sound of water being discharged over-powered everything else around them. Neytiri gasped when the end of the hose came into view and she could see a jet of water shooting down the shallow ravine. Kyle and Judy were standing near the jet watching the water shoot out straight as an arrow for thirty meters before it hit the ground churning into a foaming swirling mass as it disappeared down the ravine.

"From here you can get a better idea of how much water is being sucked out by the pump," Jake shouted over the roar of the water exiting the discharge hose. From the amazed looks of everyone's face, Jake assumed they hadn't realized or expected to see anything quite like this. They were very used to seeing great waterfalls and rapidly running rivers, but those were just part of the wonder that was Eywa. This was something altogether different. As his people began to talk excitedly among each other, smiles spreading across their faces, Jake felt optimistic that maybe life would finally start to get better for his people.

"I know I shouldn't be surprised," Neytiri said rather loudly, "but I am. I didn't expect the water to be coming out so fast."

"Don't get too excited. Even at this rate it's going to take three days to completely drain all of the water away from the Mother Tree."

"I think everyone should see this. It will give them real hope that the Mother Tree is going to be saved."

"Anyone who wishes to come watch is welcome. They will just have to be careful not to stumble into the water's path. It would be like getting shot with an arrow. The force of the water close to the end of the hose could kill a person. Since Kyle and Judy speak very little Na'vi, you should warn anyone who wants to come here to be careful."

"Neynat has learned some English. I will send her here to warn our people of the danger."

"Hey, Kyle," Jake called out. "Got a minute?"

"Hi Neytiri," Kyle said as he and Judy stepped over to where she was standing with Jake.

"Neytiri is going to send Neynat, a young girl, to stay with you so that she can warn her people about the danger of getting too close to the discharge stream. She speaks a little English."

"That's great," Judy replied. "It will give Kyle and me a chance to learn some more Na'vi. It would be better all-around if we could speak the language more fluently. That is if Neynat doesn't mind teaching us?"

"She would like that very much," Neytiri answered. The obvious connection between these two avatars had her thoughts drifting back to the discussion she and Karen had been having. A quick glance at the middle of Judy's belly that was visible between the two pieces of Sky People clothes she was wearing didn't show any of the telltale signs that she was carrying a child or had ever carried one.

"Once everyone has seen this you can come back. No need to stay here the whole time." Jake said to Kyle and Judy.

"That works for us. We'll want to check on the hose from time to time, just to make sure it is aimed the way we want. No sense in damaging any more than necessary."

Kyle's obvious care for the surrounding forest didn't go unnoticed by Neytiri. If only all the Sky People had felt the same way things might have been different.

Turning to Mo'at and the others standing close by Jake asked, "Does anyone have any questions?"

"I did not expect so much water to come so quickly," one of the older Na'vi craftsmen said.

"The pump is very strong. It can shoot a lot of water quickly. Just like a warrior's bow can shoot larger arrows than a child's bow. Think of the pump as a very large and powerful bow, the water its arrows. Kind of like that."

"I understand what you mean," the craftsmen replied. "This is very good. Our mother's tree will be saved."

"Yes, let's hope so," Jake answered as he waited for any other comments or questions.

"We need to return to the gathering area," Mo'at began when no one else spoke. "It is time to send out hunting parties. Others will need to gather wood for fire. All are hungry and must be seen to."

"I'll be there just as soon as I check on Norm and the others," Jake replied.

"You and Neytiri should remain here. There are enough people to send for food and for wood. Our people need to know that their leader's first concern is our sacred place of prayer. The place where we feel closest to Eywa. If you are needed, I will send someone."

Since Jake wanted to stay with the other avatars he didn't protest Mo'at's suggestion, which felt more like an order. Knowing that she was very good at reading the moods and needs of their people he voiced his agreement.

"I will find Neynat and send her to you," Mo'at said to Neytiri just before she led the others back towards the gathering area.

"Your mother is one very strong woman," Judy said after Mo'at had disappeared from view. "I mean that in the best possible way."

"Yes she is, and thank you. She has had more that her share of grief to deal with. She and my father were very close. I don't know if I could do as well if anything happened to Jake."

"Same here," Judy replied solemnly.

"This ravine is going to be pretty much toasted after we finish draining the Well of Souls," Kyle said into the silence that followed Judy's echoing of Neytiri's thoughts.

"It will grow back soon enough," Jake answered. "It's not like the water is polluted with chemicals. The ground won't be contaminated for the next hundred years."

"All the same, I'll like to check downstream just to make sure we're not creating a bigger problem that we'll have to solve. Perhaps you could have one of your bodyguards come with us," Kyle gestured towards where Tey'bar and Ell'a'u stood overlooking the ravine. "Seeing as they have weapons and we don't."

Kyle's comment about Tey'bar and Ell'a'u reminded Jake that they were always watching his back. He found it both amusing and comforting at the same time. He couldn't ask for two more dedicated friends. A fact that he had told both of them in the shelter the night the storm started.

"Tey'bar," Jake called out. "Come with Kyle and me, we want to make sure the water is doing as little damage as possible."

When Tey'bar jogged over to where he was standing, Jake recognized the second bow looped over Tey'bar's shoulder as his own. Glancing back at Ell'a'u Jake saw that see too had a second bow. No doubt about who the owner was. Ey'tu'kan's bow was highly distinctive. Unslinging Jake's bow Tey'bar handed it to him along with two of the four arrows he as carrying.

"When are you going to teach me how to shoot one of those?" Kyle asked, indicating the bow Jake slung over his shoulder.

"Whenever you want. Didn't realize you were interested."

"Seems like something I should know how to do, seeing as it goes with the body," Kyle replied flashing a good natured grin at Jake.

"We won't be gone long." Jake informed Neytiri as he let Tey'bar lead the way down the ravine.

For a minute Neytiri and Judy stood silent after watching their men disappeared from sight. Judy finally broke the silence as her curiosity got the better of her. "Is there something wrong with my tummy?"

"What is tummy?"

"My belly," Judy gestured placing her hands over her exposed skin.

"No, why do you ask?"

"You were staring at it a couple of minutes ago. I thought maybe something about it was unexpected."

So much for thinking that her glance had gone unnoticed, Neytiri thought to herself. Since shyness had never been one of her traits, Neytiri just asked what was on her mind. The concept of being embarrassed over one's body was not a concept that Neytiri would have understood. Only the act of mating was private. Pretty much everything else was done in the open.

"Since it appeared obvious that you and Kyle are life-mates, I was wondering if you have had a baby."

"A baby!" Judy chocked over the words. "No, no babies. I'm not even sure if I would want one even if I could have one. Being in this body only part time it wouldn't see right or practical to have a child."

The absurdity of her question struck Neytiri when she thought about the fact that Judy was an avatar, a dream walker. Why the idea of Judy having a child from her Na'vi body had ever occurred to her she couldn't say. It just seemed as if she had babies on her mind a lot lately.

"Since Kyle and I will most likely never follow in Jake's footsteps, if we wanted a child it would have to be human. Because that's not going to happen, I don't give babies a lot of thought."

"Because you are sterile." When Judy just stared at her Neytiri added, "Karen told me about how all humans that come here are sterile and cannot have children."

"Oh, well, yes that is true. I'm sure she also added that it is a good thing we can't have children. Hell's Gate isn't the place to raise a child. People only come here for two reasons. Either they have nowhere else to go or, they are like me and the other avatars. We want to learn everything about Pandora. Living in a place like Hell's Gate is a small price to pay for the opportunity to study Pandora up close and personal. There is very little nature left to study on Earth, so for those of us the wish to study botany, biology or the other life sciences, Pandora's the only game in town. Having an avatar body and getting to know you and your people is just icing on the cake."

Neytiri felt as though she only understood half of what Judy had said. Most of the words she had heard at Grace's school, but the meaning she got from Judy didn't make sense to her. A nagging sensation that she was missing something vital continued to tug at her.

"What is icing?" Neytiri asked, since it was associated with cake, a word she did understand.

"Icing is a sweet layer you spread over cake," Judy began. "'Icing on the cake' is a human expression that means getting something more than what you expected in the first place. In our case, it means that getting to know you and your people was a nice addition over and above the science we came here to learn. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, I understand what you mean when you explain it that way."

"Human languages are full of expressions that don't have the same meaning as the words in them. We call them idioms or figures of speech."

"This is very confusing. Why not say what you mean? Why say something that means something different?"

"If you don't grow up in an environment it's hard to understand all its customs and knowledge people take for granted. Think of these expressions as a shorter way to convey a longer meaning."

"I see what you are trying to tell me," Neytiri began. "But it seems unnecessary to have these expressions."

"Well you've got me there," Judy replied, laughing lightly. "Unnecessary they are. But I doubt they will ever go away."

Before Neytiri could ask anything more Jake returned with Kyle and Tey'bar.

"Only minimal damage is being done towards the bottom of the ravine," Jake announced.

"From what I could tell most of the ground in this area is composed of loosely connected porous rock," Kyle added, geology being one of his specialties. "Water is being absorbed fairly quickly. Why that isn't true for the Well of Souls is puzzling. It might have something to do with centuries of growth around the Mother Tree. Her root system may have trapped silt and clay turning the area into a watertight bowl."

All heads turned when Neynat came into view and started towards them. Her face a beacon of eagerness as she bounded up to Neytiri.

"Your mother said I should come here. That you would tell me what to do."

"Thanks for coming so quickly. The water coming out of the hose is very dangerous. When our people come to see, as I'm sure some will do, warn them to stay back. Most will figure this out on their own. A few may be foolish enough to try and get a closer look. I asked for you because you speak some English. Kyle and Judy will be here with you. Perhaps you can help each other with our languages."

"Yes, I can do that."

After quick introductions Neytiri continued, "When Kyle and Judy return, come with them. I do not want you to stay here by yourself. Understood?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Tey'bar, you and Ell'a'u stay here until they return. Neytiri and I will be fine. We both have our bows. I don't think anyone is going to attack us today. Everyone seems quiet and content at the moment."

"Yes we will do that," Tey'bar answered. Jake could see that he was going to argue but decided against it. He would make a good Marine Jake mused. He could follow orders even when he disagreed with them.

"If you want me to send someone to watch over the hose, have Ell'a'u come find me and I'll arrange for someone to take your place."

"Got it," Kyle replied as he and Judy settled into a comfortable sitting position, gesturing at Neynat to have a seat in front of them.

[xxxxx]

When Jake and Neytiri returned to the pump they found Buck checking the operational readouts. A quick glance towards the in-take float had Jake doing a double-take. Norm and Ralu were in the water trying to pull the float further from shore as Abby pushed more hose into the water. When Ralu let out a high pitched squeal that could easily shatter glass, Neytiri saw her daughter in an intense water fight with Norm. Since Norm was only using his one good arm, Ralu was getting the best of him. Admitting defeat Norm threw up his hands in surrender. Quick as a starving banshee Ralu was on him, shoving his head under water while she laughed herself silly. The laughter abruptly ended when her body disappeared beneath the water's surface as if shot from a bow. When neither Norm nor Ralu surfaced immediately both Jake and Neytiri broke for the water's edge. They had only taken a few steps when both Norm and Ralu surfaced and started laughing as they took up splashing once again.

"They are having the time of their lives," Karen said from behind them. She had been watching Norm and Ralu's water horseplay for the past ten minutes. Having become bored just sitting in the Samson she had ventured out to see what Norm was up to. Buck had pointed out where Norm and Ralu were playing at the water's edge.

"We didn't see you," Neytiri said when both she and Jake turned around at the sound of Karen's voice.

"I'm short, at least by Na'vi standards, so I'm easy to miss."

"How long have they been at it?" Jake asked pointing at Norm and Ralu.

"At least ten minutes, that's when I walked over to see what Norm was up to. From the looks of it, they have been playing for some time." Karen couldn't begin to describe her feelings while watching Norm and the little girl play together. She had never heard him laugh in his avatar body. He looked and sounded so happy it almost broke her heart. Both with joy and sorrow.

"Let's go rescue Norm from our little water demon," Jake suggested to Neytiri. "You should come too," he added to Karen.

Karen knew that Jake and Neytiri walked slower than they normally would for her benefit. Jake yelled at his daughter when his feet were ankle deep. "Ralu, stop beating up on that crippled old man. You're going to drown him."

"He's doing just fine," Ralu called back after she sent another small wave of water splashing into Norm's face.

"Help, she's drowning me," Norm called out, doing his best to impersonate the drowning victim he pretended to be.

"He's just pretending," Karen said to Neytiri when she though Neytiri was going to take Norm seriously.

"I know. But he should be taking it easy. That knife wound was deep. I don't want it to open up again."

"Lately I've been more worried about his mental state," Karen began. "Getting shot and stabbed, plus adding my fears have taken away his joy of linking with his avatar. This time with Ralu is just what he needs most right now."

"Hi Karen." Norm called out having just noticed her.

"Hi there yourself," Karen answered back, adding a friendly wave.

Exhausted more than he cared to admit Norm made his way back to dry land, Ralu effortlessly keeping pace with him. God, to be young again, Norm thought to himself—or at least whole. Even through the exhaustion he could feel that his muscles were looser, more relaxed than they had been all day. Holding out his hand for Ralu they walked the last few meters to the edge of the water.

"I see you and Ralu have been having a good time," Karen said as he gently squeezed the water from his queue.

"The best," Norm replied, gazing affectionately down at Ralu.

Norm had removed his shirt and shoes, but his shorts were thoroughly soaked which made walking somewhat awkward.

"My but you're a tall one," Karen remarked when Norm walked over to stand near her.

"You can be tall too," Norm added just before he lifted her off the ground so that they were face to face.

"Put me down you idiot," Karen shrieked as she punched his shoulders; more laughter in her voice than anger. "You're getting me all wet."

"You look good all wet," Norm commented, easily holding her at arm's length in front of him.

Jake's survival instincts kicked into hyper awareness as time seemed to stand still. Having heard the sound of death whistling past his head many times, Jake instinctively turned towards the sound of an arrow in flight. When time started to flow, everything seemed to happen all at once.

The arrow he had sensed, shot by close to his right side, penetrating into Karen's back and out through her chest, its bloody tip logged against one of Norm's ribs. At the same instant the air was filled with the war cries of a dozen Na'vi. Running on pure adrenaline Jake and Neytiri nocked arrows while searching for targets. Sparing the quickest glance, Jake saw that Abby had knocked Ralu to the ground and was shielding her with her own body. In absolute shock Norm collapsed to his knees still holding Karen at arm's length as his eyes locked onto hers which were just beginning to fill with pain.

When a second arrow whizzed past Jake he targeted the shooter and let loose his own arrow. The arrow landed with deadly accuracy as the Na'vi died from a kill shot to the heart. The twang from Neytiri's bow downed a second assassin that had been closing in from the side. Nocking their last arrows Jake and Neytiri took out two more would be assassins as the attackers arrows landed in the water behind them. When ZaeZae leapt up on the fallen arch and drew back her bow, both Jake and Neytiri drew their knives separating to try to distract ZaeZae with who she should kill first.

Her indecision of who to kill first ended when a second attacker jumped up on the arch beside her. In an instant shorter that the time between heartbeats four arrows flew. Both ZaeZae and her fellow attacker flew backwards off the fallen arch, arrow shafts sticking out of their hearts. In disbelief Neytiri watched as Tey'bar and Ell'a'u raced out onto the arch, arrows nocked, searching for other attackers. The arrow aimed at her had missed by less than a hand's width. Glancing at Jake her heart all but stopped. He was on his knees, his right hand gripping the shaft of the arrow protruding from his right side. When is head turned and their eyes locked she could see the sheer amazement he was feeling from having found an arrow lodged in his chest.

"Jake!" Neytiri screamed, hysteria reverberating through her voice.

Catching Jake before he fell face first and landed on the arrow in his chest, Neytiri twisted his body so that she could lay him out on his back. Movement to her right caught her vision where Abby was lifting Karen out of Norm's arms as he continued to stare straight ahead. Laying a gasping Karen on her side Abby jumped up to see how badly Norm was wounded.

"I have him," Ralu demanded, nearly knocking Abby over as Ralu jumped in front of Norm to probe the bleeding wound in his chest.

Sensing that Norm's wound was not deep or life threatening, Abby turned her attention back to Karen just as Buck arrived. Within seconds they were surrounded by a dozen Na'vi, all of whom were forming a human shield around them. The wall of Na'vi opened briefly to admit Kyle and Judy.

"Jake…Jake…can you hear me? Look at me Jake," Neytiri cried her eyes beginning to blur with tears.

"Keep talking to him Neytiri," Judy demanded. "He hears you. Don't let him slip away. He's past waking up in his human body. We need to keep him focused on us, on the here and now."

"Jake, look at me." Neytiri demanded. "Look at me. That's it. Don't you dare leave me."

"Hurt's like hell," Jake said weakly, a small trickle of blood escaping from the side of his mouth.

"Don't try to talk," Judy said as she tried to get a better idea of depth of the wound.

"Are all arrowheads the same length?" Judy snapped at Neytiri.

"Mostly. From the size of what is still showing I would guess that the tip is about half way through him." Looking intently at the arrowhead sticking out of the wound so that she could answer Judy's question had left her ready to retch.

"The wound is not bleeding heavily," Judy commented. "I think the arrow missed any major blood vessels. The arrowhead has definitely pieced his right lung."

"Jake, you can survive this," Neytiri continued, trying to bolster both his and her own confidences.

"Kyle, get me a pair of cutters. I want to clip off this shaft." Judy demanded.

While Neytiri held Jake's hand she glanced back to see Norm sitting with Karen's head resting in his lap. She knew that Karen could not possible survive having a Na'vi arrowhead pierce clean through her chest. The anguish, misery and shock on Norm's face told her he knew this to be true as well. Ralu was standing at Norm's side, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. Turning from misery she could do nothing for, Neytiri focused her attention on Jake.

When Tey'bar entered their protected circle Neytiri looked up.

"All of the attackers are dead or have fled into the forest." The sound of disgust softened ever so slightly when he looked down at Jake. "Everyone is shocked and shamed by the actions of our former brothers and sisters. You are safe. No one will get through to harm you."

"Thank you Tey'bar."

"Jake is going to live. I will not accept anything less."

"No, neither will I," Neytiri added as she continued to squeeze Jake's hand in her own.

"Where do you want me to cut?" Kyle asked when he returned with a small bolt cutter.

"About three inches above the arrowhead. It will give Max something to grab onto when he extracts the arrowhead."

"We need to get him back to the avatar infirmary as quickly as possible," Judy said as she stripped off her shirt to wrap it around the arrowhead.

"How's Karen?" Judy asked looking up at Kyle.

When he just shook his head she knew there nothing that could be done.

[xxxxx]

"Karen, can you hear me?" Norm's voice broke on every word.

"Yes," she replied weakly.

"I'm so sorry this happened."

"Norm…remember that old story I used to cry over…It's true…Love means never having…having to say you're sorry. I will always love…you…"

When Karen's chest failed to rise and her eye's turned lifeless, Norm turned his face into Ralu's comforting embrace and wept.

[xxxxx]

"We need to get Jake back to the infirmary if we are going to save him," Judy said quietly as she placed her hand on Neytiri's arm. "Unless you have a treatment for this kind of wound we should start back now."

"No, we do not have anything that will cure a punctured lung. Get him into your flying machine. I will inform mother where we are going."

"Hurry, time is not on Jake's side." Judy added as Neytiri sprang to her feet.

"I'll tell Buck to bring Karen's body," Kyle said as he stood. "Abby can help Norm. There's a stretcher in the Samson, I get it and be right back."

Kyle quickly cut the shaft of the arrow piercing Karen's chest before he sprinted off to get the stretcher from the Samson.

"What the frick is going on?" Rocky demanded as he stuck his head out when Kyle detached the stretcher from the rear bulkhead.

"Jake's has an arrow in his lung. Wind her up. We need to get him back as fast as this tub of shit will fly."

Without waiting for a response Kyle raced back to where Jake was laying. Before he and Judy could move Jake onto the stretcher several Na'vi knelt down to help them.

Another pair of Na'vi stood ready to lift the stretcher the instant Jake was on it.

"Mother will see to everything while we are gone," Neytiri said as she entered into the protective circle.

Within minutes Jake's stretcher was secured to the deck in the middle of the open compartment. Abby and Buck had buckled Norm into one of the seats across from Neytiri. Ralu was seated between Jake and Norm, her arms wrapped firmly around Norm's good arm.

"We are going to stay here," Buck told Neytiri. "I strapped Karen's body in the front. Rocky's not thrilled, but it's better for Norm not to have to stare at it all the way back to Hell's Gate."

"You're sure you want to stay?"

"Yes, were sure. Tey'bar and Ell'a'u assured us that we would be safe. Besides, the Samson will be quicker with less weight onboard."

"You can trust them. They are young, but they are also very brave."

"I don't think anyone's young anymore. I have a satellite communicator. We will stay in touch."

As Buck watched the Samson disappear over the treetops he was sure that what he had said to Neytiri was true. No one was young anymore.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Hell's Gate tower, this is Samson One, come-in, over." Rocky kept his eyes averted from Karen's body strapped into the seat next to him. Thirty minutes ago she had still been alive, laughing as she told him not to worry. She was just going to go and stand by the pump so she could watch Norm. Nothing bad was going to happen to her. Now she was dead. Exactly how that had happened he didn't know. Buck and the other avatars hadn't been long on the details. Because Jake's life might depend on getting to Hell's Gate as quickly as possible, he focused on that single task.

"Hell's Gate tower, come-in, over." Rocky repeated.

"Rocky, this is Zoe, over."

"Is Gary there?"

"No, he stepped out a short time ago. He should be back soon. What's wrong?" Zoe had heard Rocky's first call. As Gary was out of the room, she had quickly hurried over to his console to take the second call. The stress in Rocky's normally calm voice had given her adrenaline a quick kick.

"Jake has an arrow in his chest, right lung…I think. We are bringing him in for surgery. Have Max, Susan and Ron standing by to receive him as soon as we land. I'll land in the avatar training area. ETA thirty-five minutes."

"Jesus Rocky, how did that happen?"

"I don't exactly know. Some of the Omaticaya turned hostile and attacked."

"Is everyone else okay?"

"Yeah," Rocky lied. He didn't see any value in upsetting Zoe or the others with the news of Karen's death until he landed.

"Norm is on board, but Buck and the other avatars stayed behind."

"I'll alert Max immediately."

"Just make sure they're ready with the gurney when we arrive. Rocky out." He knew that he was abrupt with Zoe, but he felt his throat closing up on him. Getting out what he did had left his throat knotted and aching.

[xxxxx]

"Gary, hurry," Zoe beckoned when he walked into the Ops Center.

"What's happened?" Gary demanded when he heard the urgency in Zoe's voice.

"Rocky just radioed in that Jake has been wounded. He has an arrow in his chest. Rocky said they will be landing in the avatar training area in just under thirty-five minutes. He wants Max and his team ready to meet them. Buck and the other avatars stayed behind."

"Why the hell did they do that?"

"I don't know, he didn't say."

"Stay here. I'm going to go down to the lab. It will take four of us to move Jake from the Samson to a gurney." Gary said as he turned and rushed out through the door.

The trip down to the bio lab and adjoining prep room took him less than two minutes. Even though Rocky would not be landing for another thirty minutes, Gary wanted as much time to prepare for Jake's arrival as possible. Bursting through the bio lab doors he nearly ran right over Susan. The PVC she was looking at flew out of her hands and skidded across the floor as she let out a startled scream.

"Shit Gary, you need to watch where you're going," Susan barked angrily.

"I'm sorry. I was in a hurry, but that's no excuse. Where's Max?"

"In the prep room studying the new clone? Why? Is something wrong?" After picking up the PVC she took a good look at his face. Something was definitely not right.

"Rocky is on his way here. Jake has been wounded." Gary went on to tell all that Zoe had told him.

"Damn it, this is not good," Susan exclaimed as she headed for the inner air lock between the bio lab and the prep room.

"Are you equipped to perform this kind of surgery?" Gary asked as he followed Susan to the airlock door.

"Crap," Susan said as she stopped dead in her tracks. "I can't leave the avatar drivers unattended. Can you stay here with them?"

"I can, but I'm not sure what to do if anything goes wrong."

"The computers monitor everything. If any red lights start flashing call me through the intercom."

"I should go out with the gurney. Jake weights a good two-fifty, maybe more. It's going to take some muscle to get him out of the Samson and onto a gurney. Come back and take over here while I help get Jake into the prep room, then we'll swap back."

"That sounds like it should work. Can you patch the prep room in with Rocky? We need to get Jake's vitals and general conditions as quickly as possible."

"Yes, that won't be a problem. Go. I'll call you when I have Rocky patched in."

As soon as Susan stepped into the inside airlock Gary sat down at the bio lab's main console.

"Zoe?" Gary called, touching the icon on the heads-up screen for the Ops Center.

"Yes, I'm here," Zoe responded, her face showing on the video link.

"Susan is filling Max and Ron in on what's happened. I'm going to transfer master control to this terminal. You might as well come down to the lab. Between the two of us we can monitor the avatar drivers and communications with the Samson."

"Be right there."

Even before her image disappeared from the video link Gary was entering instructions to transfer command to the console. When the communications window opened Gary punched the direct link to the Samson.

"Rocky, can you hear me?"

"I hear you fine Gary, ETA is now twenty-two minutes."

"I'm in the bio lab. We are going to run operations from here for the time being. Max and his crew are preparing for your arrival. They are going to want Karen to give them Jake's vitals as soon as I patch you in."

"Gary…Karen's dead. She was killed by…she died during the ruckus that ended with Jake having an arrow in his chest."

The impact of Rocky's words stole the breath from Gary's lungs as surely as if he had been sucker punched in the gut. Fighting off a sudden wave of nausea, Gary fought to loosen the knot that had formed in his throat. He wasn't, couldn't think about the fact that he was the one who suggested that she go along with the avatars. She was beyond his help now. He would grieve for her later. Gary was absolutely certain that if Jake died, all the rest of them would too. Not right away, but steadily over time until there was nothing left of their presence on Pandora.

"You didn't tell Zoe?" Gary asked once he was sure he could speak without losing his breakfast.

"No. She was alone, so I didn't want to upset her."

"That was probably wise. Where is Karen's body?" Gary did everything he could to push the image of Karen's lifeless body to the back of his mind. He didn't want to deal with it until he had to.

"Strapped in the cockpit next to me. Jesus Gary, this so fricking surreal."

"Do you have any idea what happened, what started the whole incident?"

"Not really. Neytiri probably knows. She, Ralu and Norm are with me."

At the mention of Norm's name Gary's heart ache doubled and the gorge in his stomach tried its damnedest to get out. Clamping down on every emotion, Gary tried to get as much information as he could.

"Is Norm wounded?"

"Slightly, mostly he's just in shock from what I could see when the other avatars loaded him into the Samson."

"Do you know why the other avatar's chose to stay, not come back?"

"Buck said I would make better time without them. He's right about that. He said not to worry. The renegade's had been killed or driven into the forest. He didn't seem overly concerned about their safety. They did keep both hydras just in case he was wrong."

"All right. We can't do anything for them right now. They're smart. They will survive. Not that it's terribly important, but is the pump working?"

"Yes, they got that going before all hell broke loose."

"Is there any way for me to talk with Neytiri?" He was sure that getting Jake's vital signs would be extremely important. If Norm was in shock he wouldn't be of any use. The girl Ralu was too young. That left Neytiri as the only choice.

"Give me a second; I'll see if I can get her to put on a headset. She's pretty shook up, but I think she's holding together."

"Who's shook up? Karen?" Zoe asked when she entered the bio lab and heard the last of Rocky's transmissions.

"No, Neytiri," Gary answered looking directly at the console. He knew that if he looked at Zoe she would see the grief he was feeling.

"Neytiri's there? We'll I guess she would be. I would be in her place."

"Hello?" Neytiri's anguished voice came through the comm link.

"Neytiri, my name is Gary. We met once when most of the humans were sent back home. Do you remember me?"

"Yes, I think I do."

"I'm going to bring Max and his medical team in. They are going to ask you to tell them what you can about Jake's condition."

"He has arrow in his chest, on his right side."

"Yes, that much we know. What the medical team needs to know is how is Jake's breathing. How fast is his heart beating. Things like that. Do not worry if they ask for information you don't know how to give. Just do the best you can. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

"You should be landing here in less than fifteen minutes. I am going to patch Max in now. Just sit tight."

"Karen shouldn't have any trouble getting Jake's vitals. Why is Neytiri taking them?"

"Max, you are patched in. Neytiri will try to get you what you need," Gary said into the comm link after joining the prep room comm link into the open channel.

Knowing there was no way to put off what he had to do now Gary turned to look at Zoe. It took less than a second for Zoe to read what was showing on his face. Even before he could stand she was shaking her head in denial of what she knew he was going to say. By the time he reached for her, hot, thick tears were streaming down her cheeks. When Gary wrapped her in his arms, for his comfort as well as hers, she began to cry. There were no words that would help either of them so he just continued to hold her as they both suffered through the pain of losing someone that was close to them.

"Neytiri, my name is Max. Can you hear me?"

"Yes Max, I can."

"Is Jake conscious, is he awake?"

"Yes, his eyes are open. He is looking at me."

"Are his pupils, the dark part in the middle of his eyes, larger or smaller than normal?"

"They seem smaller, but only a little."

"Is blood flowing from the wound?"

"No. Judy wrapped some of what she was wearing around the arrowhead."

"Is he having trouble breathing?"

"He has an arrow in lung, of course he is having trouble," Neytiri's voice snapped.

"Yes, I know. Do you hear any liquid noise in his throat? Is he coughing?"

"He coughs a little. Sometimes there is blood."

"Can you feel his heart beating? If so can you tell me is it steady?"

"Yes his heart beat is steady", Neytiri replied after a short pause.

"I am going say start, and then stop. I want you to count the number of times his heart beats. Can you do that?"

"Yes."

"Okay here we go. Start," Max counted off fifteen seconds before saying 'stop'.

"His heart beat twenty times."

"I am going to say start and stop again. Count how many breathes he takes."

"Seven." Neytiri answered after counting his breathing rate.

"If you squeeze his hand does he squeeze back?"

"Yes, but it is not strong."

"Does he know who you are?"

"I think so."

"Tell him to whisper your name, if he can."

"He did so. He also said 'I see you'," Neytiri's voice cracked slightly.

"Okay, just hold on. You will be here shortly."

"Will he live?"

"I can't promise that," Max replied. "We will do everything possible. He is young and healthy so there is a very good chance that he will make a full recovery. The most you can do now is be there for him. Prayers to Eywa couldn't hurt either."

"I have been doing that since the other avatars loaded us into your flying machine."

"Good. Keep doing it. We will be ready for you as soon as you land."

"Do you think the arrow was coated with neurotoxins?" Ron asked Max when he finished speaking to Neytiri.

"No, if it was, Jake would be dead by now."

"Let's get prepped for surgery," Max began as he began giving instructions for what he would need once Jake arrived.

[xxxxx]

"Zoe, there is nothing any of us can say that will make this any easier," Gary began after Zoe had stopped crying. "I don't know how it happened. Rocky wasn't able to tell me much. After he lands Neytiri should be able to tell us more."

"Norm, where is Norm?" Zoe asked suddenly as she stepped back from Gary.

"He is on the Samson. Rocky said the Norm was wounded slightly but he seemed to be shock."

"Shouldn't you get him out of his pod?"

"I don't know. I'm going to ask Max. We'll let him make the call."

"I just can't believe this. Are things ever going to be normal around here again?"

"If I knew what normal was I might be able to answer you. Right now I'd settle for no one else dying."

"Yeah, I'd settle for that too."

"Max, I need you out here in the link room. Can you come out?" Gary waited for Max to answer his page, not sure just how much to tell him until they were face to face.

"Can it wait," Max answered. "We're busy in here setting up for Jake's arrival."

"No, it really can't. It will only take a couple of minutes."

"Be right out," Max answered, frustration clearly audible in his voice.

[xxxxx]

"What is so important that it couldn't wait?" Max demanded as he stepped out of the inner airlock.

"There is no way to make this easy. Karen's dead. Norm is on the Samson with the others. Rocky said that he is in a state of shock."

When Max looked as if he was going to pass out Gary took a single step towards him.

"Give me a second," Max said has he braced a hand against the wall and took several deep breaths.

Drawing himself together, Max walked over to the pod containing Norm's human body and began to examine the readouts from the linker. After double checking the current readouts against the historical data, Max turned back to Gary and Zoe.

"Physiologically Norm's vitals are within normal operating limits. Bringing him out by shutting down the link from this end might do more harm than good. I'll want to check out his avatar once he gets back. That will be easier if he is still linked up. Unless there is a major change we'll leave him linked for now."

"What about the other drivers?" Gary asked.

"I'll check them quickly before I go back in," Max answered.

"I know it won't be easy, but I'll leave it to you to tell Ron and Susan about Karen. Her body is on the Samson."

"Yeah, it definitely won't be easy." Max replied as he moved to the next pod to check on Judy's link.

All three jumped when Buck's voice activated the comm link.

"Hell's Gate, this is Buck. Do you read me?"

"Yes Buck, we read you," Gary answered after scrambling over to the master console. "Are you and the other avatars okay?"

"Yes we're fine, safe and healthy. Has Rocky arrived yet?"

"He should be here shortly?"

"I just wanted to check in with you. You can reach us via sat-link any time. Let us know as soon as you know anything about Jake."

"Okay, we'll do that. Anything you need for us to do?"

"Yeah, pray for Jake, and for Norm. This is going to hit him really hard."

"Will do. I'll call you as soon as Rocky lands and Jake's in surgery."

"Thanks, Buck out."

"I'll take the gurney outside," Gary began. "Neytiri and I should be able carry Jake from the Samson to the outside airlock. After that I can have her help get Norm into the avatar shelter. It will be the best place for them to wait while Jake's in surgery."

"Gary, she isn't going to want to let Jake out of her sight," Zoe added.

"You're right about that. Hopefully she will listen to reason."

"And if she doesn't?"

"I'll play on her sympathy for what happened to Norm. She can't be in surgery. I'll try to make her see that."

"Good luck with that. From what Norm has told us she doesn't care for the word 'no'."

[xxxxx]

Gary spotted the Samson almost as soon as he heard the whine of her rotors. Standing just outside the outer airlock door he watched the Samson head straight for the make-shift basketball court the avatars used for training and play. Timing it so he would reach the Samson just after Rocky cut power to the rotors; Gary sprinted across the court to the side of the aircraft.

"Hi, I'm Gary," He said through his exopack as he greeted Neytiri and Ralu. A quick glance told him that Norm was pretty much out of it. Jake had turned his head at the sound of his voice.

Climbing in, Gary released the clamps holding Jake's stretcher to the deck.

"We need to get Jake inside as quickly as possible. If you will take the end nearest Jake's head I'll take the other end," Gary said as he moved to the opening in the side of the Samson. "Ralu is it? Would you say here and watch after Norm until we can get Jake inside?"

"Yes, I can do that," Ralu answered after looking to her mother for approval.

With Neytiri's help Gary rotated Jake's stretcher and pulled it from the belly of the Samson. The hardest part about carrying Jake's stretcher for Gary was to hold it at shoulder level so Neytiri wouldn't have to walk stooped over. Max had been firm on making sure the stretcher remained level as much as possible. Skirting by the side of the gurney Gary backed into the airlock so that he and Neytiri could set the stretcher atop the gurney.

"The medical team will take Jake inside just as soon as we step outside and close the outer door," Gary said as soon as Jake was settled safely on the gurney. "I know you want to be with him Neytiri. For Jake's sake you can't. Max and his team have been tending to avatars for years. They will do everything they can to make sure that he walks out of here on his own two feet. We will wait close by. As soon as it's possible you and Ralu will be able to see Jake."

Gary wasn't sure what Neytiri said to Jake in Na'vi, but he weakly repeated it back to her. After bushing Jake's lips lightly with her own Neytiri stood and walked back outside. Pausing long enough to squeeze Jake's shoulder, Gary followed her, shutting the outer door behind him.

"Just a short distance from here is a building where the avatars used to sleep," Gary said when he caught up with Neytiri beside the Samson. "It is a good place for you and Ralu to wait. I would be grateful if you could help me get Norm in there as well. He doesn't look like he can make it on his own."

"We will help you. Norm is family to both of our peoples. My heart is heavy that I can do little for him."

"We all feel that way. He and Karen were a big part of our lives."

"Ralu, we need to get Norm to step outside," Neytiri told her daughter after releasing Norm from the harness that held him in place during the flight.

Kneeling Ralu took Norm's face in her hands and gently turned it towards her. "We have to move from this place. You need to stand so we can walk. Mother and I will help you."

With Neytiri and Ralu's gentle prodding they maneuvered Norm out of the Samson to stand on his own. He looked very shaky to Gary's eyes. Slinging her bow and the two new arrows Ell'a'u had given her just before takeoff over her shoulder, Neytiri moved to support Norm's left side while Ralu supported his right as best she could.

"This way," Gary indicated as the moved around the front of the aircraft. While Neytiri and Ralu had been coaxing Norm from the Samson, Rocky told Norm that he was going to take the aircraft back to the hanger deck to refuel. He would see to Karen's body as well.

Once they were a safe distance away, the Samson rose into the air and disappeared over the fence inclosing the training area. The avatar hut was normally a short walk from the basketball court. Norm's zombie like state made the trip twice as long. Neytiri stopped at the base of the steps to the hut and looked around.

"It's not much, but it does have a roof to keep the rain off our heads," Gary began. "In side there is a comm link so that we can talk with the others inside the complex. The medical team will keep us informed on Jake's condition. If it's alright with you I'll wait here at least until Jake is out of surgery. I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I'll try to answer them as best I can."

"We like for you to stay with us," Neytiri answered a bit numbly, which alerted Gary to the fact that she was probably ready to crash from an adrenaline come-down.

"There is food nearby which we can gather when you become hungry. For now let's get Norm inside and on a cot before he collapses."

"Yes, that is good. I do not think he is going to be able to sand much longer."

With considerable difficulty Neytiri and Ralu managed to get Norm up the short flight of steps and into the hut. Lowering him onto the first available cot they both collapsed on the adjacent cot, physically and mentally exhausted.

"Just rest while I let them know inside that we are all safe. I'll try to get an early update on Jake's condition."

"Thank you," Neytiri replied as Ralu snuggled next to her.

Moving over to the comm link used by the avatar technicians Gary called into the lab.

"Norm is resting comfortably," Gary informed Zoe when she answered his call. "Neytiri and Ralu look a little rough around the edges but they will feel better after they get some rest. Can you try to get me an update on how Jake's doing? I promised Neytiri that I would ask."

"Sure. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll call you back."

"Not going anywhere. I'll be right here." It's barely past midday Gary thought to himself. This could turn into a very long day for all of them.

Figuring it would take Zoe a few minutes to get back to him, Gary walked over to check on Norm. Ralu was sitting cross legged with Norm's head cradled between them. Neytiri was on the side of the adjacent cot holding his hand.

"When was the last time he spoke?" Gary asked as he stood at the foot of Norm's cot.

"He hasn't spoken since Buck and Kyle strapped him into the flying machine," Neytiri answered. She was trying not to think of Jake dying while she sat around helpless to do anything about it.

The woman that Norm loved was dead, and now Norm could not see those around him. All she could see when she looked at Norm was the love in his eyes when had picked Karen up off the ground and held her against him. The shocked disbelief that followed was too painful to let into her mind.

"Norm told me that you are his very favorite Na'vi," Gary said to Ralu. "He told me how you tended to his wound after he was stabbed. He knew he wasn't going to die because you did such a good job fixing him up. Even through all the pain he didn't want to leave his avatar. Not until he was sure you would be okay too."

"I'm sure you have experienced what Norm is experiencing right now," Gary continued when Ralu's eyes began to well up with tears. "You know the terrible grief, the emptiness that fills you when someone you love dies. Just like someone helped you to get past the pain so that you would want to live again, we need to help Norm get past his pain so the he will want to live again. Right now I would bet that you are the best reason for Norm to want to come back to. I think that the more he hears your voice the quicker he will come back. Do you think you can just talk to him, tell him that you miss him, that he should come back so that you can be together again?"

"Yes, I can do that."

"Good, that's good." Turning to Neytiri Gary added, "I know you have suffered terrible losses yourself, but I think that your daughter has the best chance of getting through to Norm. I could tell from the way that he spoke of her, the look in his eyes, that he loves Ralu in the best possible way. I hope that doesn't make you uncomfortable. Norm is the kind of person that would give his life to protect a child. What we humans would call a quiet unsung hero."

"Norm almost gave his life to protect my mother. Besides Jake, there is no other that I trust as fully. That may sound strange coming from me, but it is truth. If all Sky People were like those of you that have remained behind we would not have suffered as much as we have."

"We're not perfect Neytiri; we just have more respect for what was here on Pandora before we arrived than those who sent us here. To our way of thinking, humans are guests in your world. We should treat it as such."

The sentiment and honesty she felt from this human, who was no taller than her daughter, touched something in her heart. She could 'see' some of Jake's spirit inside this man. There was obvious strength in his character, and a tenderness and understanding that she would never have believed possible just a short time ago. She was beginning to believe that it was possible that some humans could 'see' just as well as the Na'vi.

When the comm link buzzed, Gary quickly walked over to answer it.

"Hi Zoe, what do you have for us?"

"Max told me to tell you that he thinks Jake will make a full recovery. He will know more in about an hour. After that we will just have to wait and see how fast Jake heals. Neytiri and Ralu should be able to see him in a couple of hours."

"That's great news. I'm sure Neytiri and Ralu will be relieved to hear it."

"How is Norm?"

"About the same. Hopefully we will be able to make some progress on that front as well. I'll get back to you in a while. Call if you have anything further."

"Will do. Be safe."

Walking back to Neytiri and Ralu, they were both looking at him, hope in their eyes.

"Max thinks that Jake is going to recover completely. Since Max is a glass half empty kind of guy, I think you can count on it."

If Neytiri wasn't almost twice his size Gary would have wrapped her up with a big hug because she looked like she needed one. Comforting a ten foot tall amazon warrior was a bit out of his league.

"Zoe told me that you both should be able to see him in a couple of hours. That's about twice as long as it took you to fly here," Gary added when he remembered that the Na'vi didn't have the same concept of time as humans did.

"Why don't you line down and get some rest," Gary suggested when all of the life seemed to drain out of Neytiri. "I'll be right here if anything changes."

"I think that would be good," Neytiri answered as she lowered her head to the pillow on the Na'vi sized cot. "Would you sit with us so that we can talk? It will make the waiting go faster."

"Sure I can do that. Let me find something to sit on."

"There is room here beside me," Neytiri suggested, indicating a space large enough for him to sit cross legged beside her.

For a moment Gary was torn between feeling uncomfortable sitting on the same bed with another man's wife and offending Neytiri when she obviously saw nothing wrong with the closeness. Figuring he was well chaperoned with Ralu sitting ten feet away, looking directly at him, Gary hopped up on the waist high cot and crossed his legs so the he could easily see Neytiri an Ralu at the same time.

"Do you have a woman?" Neytiri asked.

"No, at least not in the way that you mean. Zoe—the person I was speaking with on the comm link—and I are just starting to get to know each other on a more personal level. How far that will progress still remains to be seen."

"You are older than Jake. Is this correct?"

"Yes, by a good ten years if I remember correctly. Why do you ask?"

"I am just trying to know you better. For a long time after my sister was killed I hated all Sky People. Now I realize that not all Sky People are the same. For a while I though Jake was the only one who was different. Now I know that is not true. So I wish to know more about you."

"Well then, ask away. I'll tell you as much as I can."

"You do not have avatar?"

"No, I don't."

"Why did you come here? What reason did you have to come to our world?"

"Good question. Mostly I came because there was nothing for me back on Earth. I had no family. Nothing to stay there for. Pandora sounded like an interesting place to see. And it turns out I was right, Pandora has many interesting places, and people to see."

"When the other Sky People returned to their world, why did you choose to stay?"

"I guess I felt more at home here than I did back on Earth. The food was better too. One of few the things that the RDA did right was feed us well. I don't have an exact answer to your question. I just knew I would be unhappy if I left."

"You felt this way even though you need mask to breathe our air. That you need to live inside where you do not feel the sun and wind on your face."

"Sounds a little crazy, doesn't it? Even with all the hardships and dangers, I would still rather be here."

"The others think as you do?"

"Mostly. We each have our own particular reasons for coming here, staying here. In the end we like it here better than we did on Earth."

"Do you regret coming to help us?"

"No. I deeply regret that Karen was killed, that Jake was shot and that Norm is going to have to live through a really hard time. You are not responsible for what happened."

"Some of my people were."

"Yeah, and some of my people were responsible for the destruction of Hometree and all the people that died there. Bad people can turn up anywhere. In the end we can only be responsible for our own actions."

"What you say is truth."

"Mother, Norm is beginning to wake."


	9. Chapter 8

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Chapter 8**

Norm cried out, calling Karen's name. The agony he was feeling, even though he was barely conscious, was clearly evident in his voice. After a brief shudder Norm's body went limp once again.

"Norm is lost. He cannot see," Ralu said to her mother as she gently stroked the sides of his face with her hands. Leaning over she gently kissed his forehead.

"After a great loss it may take a long time to see again," Neytiri answered, thankful that it appeared that she would not have to deal with another great loss of her own in so short a time.

"Even though we cannot be sure, I think Norm knows that you are caring for him," Gary began. "Mostly he is resting comfortably. The touch of your hands on his face is comforting to him, making the dreams he is experiencing less painful. I think you have a high level of empathy."

"What does that mean?" Ralu asked as she continued to stroke her fingers in slow circles around Norm's temples.

"It means that you can feel what someone else feels. That you can make the pain they are feeling go away by taking some of it into yourself. Be careful that you do not take too much of the pain he is feeling inside of you. It may be stronger than you are able to handle."

"Such a thing is possible?" Neytiri asked, sitting up rapidly. From the look on her face Gary could see that this wasn't something that she had thought possible.

"True empathy is quite rare, but it is possible. I assume this is not something that happens among the Na'vi."

"We feel what others are feeling, that is natural. But I have not heard of anyone being able to take another person's pain into their own body. Only Eywa can take the pain someone is suffering and make it go away."

"I could be wrong. Maybe Norm is just relaxing under the soothing touch of your daughter's hands."

Ralu could tell that her mother was more than a little upset. With the obvious worry that her mother was still feeling for Jake, she decided this wasn't a good time to bring up the idea of bonding with Norm to try and ease the pain she sensed through her fingertips. With just a little concentration she could feel a trickle of pain flow up her arms and into her body. She was certain that the Sky Person, Gary, was aware of what she was doing. His words had been a gentle warning to her.

"Did Grace or anyone show you images of what your world looks like from far away?" Gary asked in the uneasy silence that followed. Neytiri didn't need anything else to worry about at the moment.

"If she did, I do not remember. I was much younger when we stopped going to the school where Grace taught us your language."

"Let me grab a viewer. Your world is very beautiful from space—very high up in the sky.

Taking the PVC that the avatar technicians used to record data from its docking station, Gary powered it on as he hurried back to try and occupy Neytiri's mind so that the next hour or two would go by more quickly.

"This image was taken from the ship the Sky People use to travel between here and Earth. You can see your entire world with what we call Polyphemus in the background. Thousands of years ago Earth looked a lot like this. Our skies were blue then. Now they are a dirty gray. Very sad what we have allowed to happen to our world."

For the next hour and a half Gary showed Neytiri and Ralu hundreds of images taken from space and drone reconnaissance aircraft that had mapped and imaged most of the planet's land masses. The polar caps were quite foreign as neither had ever experienced anything but the climate that pervaded the equatorial region of the planet. The sheer number of different continents surprised them. This was quite natural to Gary as they had not been more than a hundred miles from where they were born. The most fascinating aspect of their world was the ocean and the underwater images of some of the life-forms that they contained. A dolphin like creature with expressive, intelligent eyes seemed to be the biggest attraction.

When the comm link signal began beeping, Gary transferred the link to the PVC. "Jake is out of surgery and awake," Max began. "Neytiri and Ralu can see him for a while. He's a bit groggy from the anesthesia, but that will pass soon enough."

"Thanks Max. We'll be there shortly. Can you send Ron or Susan out to stay with Norm?"

"I'm sending them both so that they can do a full workup."

"Good idea. We will head in just as soon as they get here."

After closing the link Gary added, "Ready to go see Jake?"

"I think I should stay here with Norm," Ralu replied. "In case he wakes up. Tell Jake that I'm very happy that he is going to be all right. He will understand why I don't want to leave Norm alone. I will see him just as soon as I can."

"Ron and Susan will take good care of them both," Gary said as Neytiri seemed to be undecided as to what to do about Ralu's request. "It might be best if you saw Jake by yourself."

"Yes, that might be for the best," Neytiri replied, realizing that Ralu probably needed her connection to Norm to keep her mind off of all that had happened today.

"Give him a kiss and a hug for me."

"I'll do that." Standing Neytiri looked around the hut.

"It's not quite the same as a tree, but by human standards it's not bad for living out in the open," Gary added as she seemed a bit puzzled by her surroundings.

Suzan and Ron entered the hut before Neytiri made any further comment.

"Take good care of Norm," Gary said as he stepped over and placed his hand on Ralu's shoulder.

The sudden draining of pain she had taken from Norm had Ralu looking inquisitively into Gary's eyes. "Takes one to know one," he said softly, flashing a quick smile.

"Do you think you can help us with Norm?" Susan asked Ralu, correctly sizing up the situation. "You just keep him calm and we'll get all of his vitals," she added as she picked up the PVC.

"I'll call you on the comm link after we have seen Jake," Gary told Ron as he led Neytiri to the door.

Without Norm's almost dead weight they crossed to the outer door of the airlock in just over a minute.

"I want to thank you for making it easy on us, as well as yourself, for not insisting to stay with Jake when you brought him in," Gary began. "I know it was hard to leave him in our care when you were so worried about him. Watching someone you love undergo surgery is very difficult. I'm quite sure you wouldn't have felt any easier being there."

"Jake told me when we were coming here that I needed to let you take care of him. If our people could have healed him he would not have come. You and those that stayed here know how to mend what we cannot. I did not want to do anything that might make it harder for Jake. Going with you to wait was not as hard as I thought it would be. You were very kind to my daughter, and to me, to help us wait patiently. Something that I am not very good at."

"You both did just fine. Besides, I enjoyed the time we spent together. I'll give you some time alone with your mate." Gary added as he opened the inner door and led her to the gurney where Jake was recovering.

"Don't be alarmed by the wires and the noisy monitors. They are checking his heart rate and other vital signs. He won't need them for long." Gary added when he saw the distress cross Neytiri's face when she spotted Jake looking like some sort of cyborg.

"I am going to try to get in touch with Buck or one of the other avatars. He can let your people know that Jake is going to be all right. After that, I'll go back and stay with Norm and Ralu. Have Max call when you want me to bring Ralu to see Jake."

Giving Neytiri's arm a quick squeeze her left her alone with Jake.

[xxxxx]

"I see you," Neytiri said softly when she walked up to stand beside Jake.

"I see you too."

"How do you feel?"

"Like I've been run over by a hammerhead," Jake added carefully. Almost any sort of movement hurt something fierce. "Max doesn't want to give me much of anything for the pain. Until he's sure that my lung isn't going to collapse or fill with fluid. I'm just going to have to get through it."

"Oh god Neytiri, please don't cry," Jake added when tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I'm not going to leave you. I didn't mean to scare you. Max is just being extra cautious."

"I can't seem to help it. You have a habit of bringing out the tears in me. I really wish you would stop doing that." The shock of seeing Jake looking so weak and in obvious pain made her legs weak and her heart ache. The tears escaped before she even realized they had formed.

"I know I've given you a few bad moments. I'll see if I can stop doing that from now on."

"Will it hurt if I touch your lips?" If she didn't touch him she was going to break into little pieces. Even though it was he who was injured, she felt as much pain as he.

"No. You are going to have to come down here. If I tried to lift my head it would probably just fall off—not really, it would just feel like it," Jake quickly amended when he saw the instant distress cross her face.

Bending over Neytiri brushed her lips over his in a kiss that was as light as a feather. The contact released some of the tension that had been building inside her from the moment she saw the arrow sticking out of his chest.

"I think you could press a little more firmly than that." Looking into her eyes, seeing the love that resided there for him helped to push that pain aside as effectively as any drug.

"You are sure?"

"Oh yeah, I'm sure."

Pressing her lips more firmly against his she felt the twin pleasures of fulfillment and need flow into her. As the need grew, a small sound of pleasure escaped from between her parted lips. Pulling back just far enough to see his whole face she saw her feelings reflected back at her through his eyes.

"If it didn't hurt to move I'd tell you to lie down beside me. But for now I'm going to have to be content with you just holding my hand."

"That I will do for as long as you wish me to."

"Where is Ralu?"

"She is with Norm and two Sky People in the place where your avatars live. She told me to give you a kiss and a hug from her. She did not want to leave Norm just yet. He seems to be trapped in dreams. He is in much pain, pain that only the heart can bear."

"This is going to be really rough on him. He really loved Karen. You could see it even when he looked at her with his avatar. It's going to take him a long time to get over his grief. I hope we can help him with that."

"Gary, the Sky Person that sat with us as we waited seemed to think that Ralu would be able to help Norm more than anyone else. At first I thought he was just being kind to Ralu, but I think he may be right. The bond between them is very strong. We both felt that when they were in the water. She may be able to help him get past his grief so that he will enjoy living once again."

"I'm feeling kind of sleepy. Don't go away if I fall asleep on you."

"I will be right here. Close your eyes. Dream only of pleasant things. I will send my love into your dreams so that you will rest."

Within seconds Jake's eyes slid closed and his breathing continued evenly, keeping pace with the quiet sounds coming from the monitors.

[xxxxx]

"How long has he been asleep?" Gary asked when he came back to check on Neytiri.

"For a while. We talked of several things, and then he became tired."

"That will pass quickly. The first day will be the hardest on you. He will sleep most of the time. By tomorrow he will seem much more like himself."

"I am glad that you suggested Ralu not come right away. This would be hard for her. It is hard for me to see him like this."

"I'm going to go back out to the avatar hut to be with her and Norm. When you want to come out have Max show you how to operate the airlock. It's pretty simple."

"Thank you for all that you have done. We appreciate it."

"As I said before, it's my pleasure."

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. We got in touch with Abby and she is going to find your mother to tell her Jake is going to be fine. Later I can set it up so that you can speak with her."

"I would like that very much. I'm sure mother will as well."

Flashing a warm smile Gary stepped into the outer airlock and sealed the inner door behind him.

[xxxxx]

Entering the avatar hut, Gary found Ralu curled close to Norm, her arm draped across his chest. Ron and Susan were at the technician's work station going over the results of Norm's physiological and neurological scans. Ralu looked at him when he paused at the foot of the cot.

"Any change?" Gary asked.

"He seems to be resting more comfortably."

"How about you? How are you feeling?" Gary asked as he looked for signs of fatigue around her eyes.

"A little tired. Actually I'm starting to get hungry."

"We can fix that easy enough. Just give me a minute to talk with Ron and Susan and I'll be right back."

"I will be right here."

Walking over to the workstation, Gary asked, "What do the test results show?"

"Not much in the way of any problems," Susan answered. "Both physically and neurologically Norm's avatar is fine. His mental state is something that we can't measure. We need to get him to wake up in his avatar or else we need to break the link from inside the lab. I'd rather not do that if we don't have to."

"How much longer before you will need to interrupt the link?" Gary asked thinking of how long it would take to get Ralu something to eat.

"At least a few hours, but definitely before nightfall."

"I'll see if Ralu and I can't coax him awake after I find her some food."

"There isn't anything else we can do here," Ron began. "We'll go back and check on Jake, get something to eat ourselves. Call if you need anything."

"Would you like to get something to eat?" Gary asked Ralu when he returned to her.

"Yes. Do you think Norm will wake while we are not here?"

"It is possible, so we won't be gone long," Gary replied figuring his answer would allow them to take a short walk to get her some food.

"We'll wait here until you return," Susan called out as it was easy to overhear them from the workstation.

"That's great. Thanks," Gary added.

As soon as they started down the steps Ralu began to look around, trying to take everything in at once. "Why did the Sky People make this place?"

"This was built to give the avatars a place to sleep and to exercise. Since the avatars don't have to hunt for food or do the normal things you would do during the day they need some place to keep active. Now that there are just five of them, this place doesn't get a lot of use."

"It feels like a good place."

"I'll let you pick out what you want," Gary added when he led her over to the rows of vines that held various fruits that were favorites with the avatars. "We can go back and you can eat on the steps of the hut."

After looking at several different fruits—little of which Gary new the names for—she selected two totally different looking items.

"Are you hungry?" She asked when they sat down on the top step.

"No. I had something to eat after I took your mother to see Jake."

"Is Jake getting better?"

"Yes, but it will be a few days before he will be able to go back to your people. Even then he will have to take it easy for a while. He won't be lifting anything heavy for ten days. Flying with his banshee will definitely not be on the list of things he can do."

"That will make him sad, in here," Ralu replied placing her hand over her heart.

"Better sad for a few days than to open the wound back up again. He will know when it is time to do things again. Besides, your mother will watch over him to make sure he does not do what he should not."

"Yes, she will do that. I hope they do not argue over what he should not be doing."

"Knowing Jake, I'm sure he will test your mother's patience more than a little."

"I'm not sure she has any. Ever since I can remember she has always been very busy. She sits only to eat."

"I think everything that has happened today, and before, has slowed her down a little. We tend to develop more patience the longer we live."

"There is a sink just inside the door for you to wash your face and hands," Gary told Ralu when she finished eating the last piece of fruit that was extremely juicy.

"Sink?"

"Come, I'll show you. I will be easier than trying to explain.

Inside the door Gary showed her how to turn on the water faucet so the she could splash water in her face and rinse off her hands. At first Ralu was a bit timid about sticking her hands in the water rushing out of the faucet. Her apprehension was quickly overcome as she vigorously splashed water in her face in obvious delight. Using some of the scented soap she washed her hands, twice.

"This is very nice," she commented when she finished.

"Dry yourself with this," Gay said as he handed her a large towel.

"Norm stirred once but didn't wake," Susan said as she and Ron prepared to leave the hut.

"Thanks for staying," Gary replied.

The sink had been low enough so that Ralu could use it without having to stand on the tips of her toes. The bottom of the large mirror above the stainless-steel sink was just high enough so that Ralu could not see herself. From her vantage point all she could see was a reflection of the hut's rafters.

"What is purpose of that?" she asked Gary, pointing to the mirror.

"It's called a mirror. You can see yourself in it. Here, I'll show you."

Dragging an avatar sized chair over to the sink Gary motioned for Ralu to jump on the seat.

"Oh!" Ralu squeaked when she turned and saw her own reflection staring back at her. "This is much better than seeing yourself in a pool of water. I can see the hair around my eyes," She added as she leaned closer.

"Those are what humans call eye-lashes. We also have hair above our eyes that we call eye-brows. Men have whiskers that cover a large part of the bottom half our or face, but most shave it off so that our faces look like mine."

"Shave? What is that?"

"It means to remove the hair that grows on our faces with a tiny machine that we can hold in one hand. Mostly it's just a big nuisance, which means it's something we have to do but wish we didn't. And before you ask, no it doesn't hurt."

"Women do not have to do this shave thing?"

"None that I've met," Gary replied remembering all the commercials on the holvision back on Earth that enticed women to permanently remove unsightly facial hair. As he couldn't ever remember meeting a woman who needed those services, he figured those that needed them had already used the service.

"I am happy that Na'vi have no need for shave. It sounds icky."

"Yeah, that's another word for it."

"Do you have any colored beads?" Ralu asked after turning her attention back to her reflection in the mirror. "Grace always had many colorful beads in her braids. Sometimes she also had pretty ribbons."

Gary was willing to bet that this was the first time Ralu had seen a mirror, or her own reflection with near perfect likeness. By the way she was shifting her head this way and that, checking out all the angles, he figured he would have the first Na'vi diva on his hands if he wasn't careful.

"I'll look around and see if I can find some beads or ribbons a little later. Right now I think we should see what we can do to help Norm."

"Thank you for showing this to me," Ralu said as she jumped down from that chair. "What is this for," she added, pointing to a shower stall whose door stood part way open.

"That is called a shower. You step inside, turn on the water and wash your whole body, just like you did with your hands and face at the sink. Think of it as swimming in a very small space."

"I don't know if I would like that," Ralu answered, wrinkling her nose at the shower.

"Let's see if you and I together can get Norm to come out of his dream," Gary suggested as he led Ralu back to the cot that held Norm's avatar.

"Yes, that might work. If not I could form _tsahaylu_ with him. If Norm is lost in his dreams I might be able to help him find his way back."

"I'm not sure that would be such a good idea," Gray replied, as he didn't know much about bonding except that the Na'vi did it with animals that they wanted to control and between each other as part of their mating ritual. He had never heard anything about children and adults bonding. Possibly it was quite common, but since he didn't know he figured it best not to attempt it.

"I have bonded with Eywa several times. It is usually quite pleasant."

"Let's save that for last incase nothing else works. Besides I would feel better if your mother was here when you attempted to bond."

"All right. What do you think we should do?"

"You take one of Norm's hands and I'll take the other," Gary began as he steered her to the left side of the cot. "Close your eyes and call to him in your mind. I'll try to draw the pain he is feeling into me so that he will look around when he hears your voice. If the pain is not too great he may answer you. Do not be frightened if I look hurt or sad. Norm is feeling both of those things so they will come to me."

"You told me before not to do that."

"I told you to be careful. Not to take too much into yourself all at one time. I have done this before so I know how much I can take without doing any permanent harm. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Picking up Norm's left hand as Ralu picked up his right, Gary began to search for the center of Norm's pain. At first all he could sense was a dull throb that seemed to be everywhere. Keeping his eyes on Ralu to make sure she was not getting in over her head, he continued to search with his mind's eye for the location of the pain that was keeping Norm locked into his semi-conscious state. As the throbbing began to slowly pulsate he knew he was getting closer.

Leaning in, Ralu pressed her lips to Norm's cheek as she continued to hold his hand in both of hers. The instant Ralu's lips touched Norm's cheek the throbbing spiked, sending several waves of pain shooting into Gary before he could stop them. Clamping down on his connection, Gary fought to absorb the pain and misery that had burst into him. The unexpected jolt had left him a little dizzy and more than a little nauseous. He should have known better than to leave himself so open. Connecting with an avatar wasn't the same as connecting with another human.

When Norm uttered an incomprehensible sound, Gary looked up to see Norm's eyelids fluttering as if he was trying to wake. Ralu was leaning close, whispering into his ear as Norm's eyelids continued to twitch. Opening himself cautiously, Gary absorbed a second short burst of pain. Norm's head was angled towards Ralu so that she was the first thing that he saw when his eyes opened. When several of Ralu's tears fell onto Norm's face and he tried to brush them away with his left hand Gary let go. Staggering back, Gary bumped up against the cot behind him and slowly sank to the floor.

He could just barely hear the words Ralu was saying to Norm. They were a jumbled up mixture of English and Na'vi. The only thing he could tell for certain from her voice was the obvious relief she was feeling. When he heard Norm say her name he figured the worst was over for Norm, at least from the initial shock of seeing Karen killed right in front of him. Letting the world around him fade, Gary concentrated on ridding his body of the pain that he had absorbed. Concentrating with every brain cell he could bring to bear, he pushed the pain out through the pours on his skin as though he was expelling toxic sweat.

As the pain eased, he was able to breathe easier and willed his stomach to settle. Closing his eyes and ears he just sat there while his system inched its way back to normal. When a pair of cool hands encircled the sides of his face Gary's eyes opened to see two large, compassionate eyes looking deeply into his.

"Gary! Can you hear me?" Neytiri asked him for the third time as fear streaked through her. When she had entered the hut she had seen Norm's eyes were open and he was looking at Ralu. When she had stepped to the opposite side of the cot and spotted Gary sitting with his back against the next cot her heart had leapt into her throat.

"Yes…I can hear you," Gary finally answered weakly.

"What happened to you?" Neytiri asked as she looked for signs that he had been attacked.

"Took too much too fast, just what I warned Ralu not to do."

"I do not understand."

"I absorbed the worst of the pain that Norm was feeling so that Ralu could reach him—and draw him out of the dream he was trapped in. I didn't realize that Norm's avatar would pack such a powerful punch. It felt like being kicked in the head by a horse."

"That I understand having been kicked by direhorses several times."

"The worst is past now. I'll be okay in a couple of minutes."

"Do you wish to lie down?"

"Actually, I'd like get to my feet if you wouldn't mind giving me a hand up."

Gary was thankful that Neytiri didn't yank him to his feet like a rocket. After a couple of seconds his head cleared and his balance steadied out. Looking down he saw that both Norm and Ralu were looking back at him, their hands still joined.

"Welcome back," Gary said as he looked Norm over carefully. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too," Norm replied. "Hi Neytiri," he added giving her a hesitant smile.

"Norm…I…do not know what to say," Neytiri answered.

"Neither do I," Norm replied. "I can't believe Karen's gone. I feel as if my heart has been ripped out and shredded right in front of me. I feel numb all over."

"We will be here with you for as long as you need us," Ralu said as Norm turned back to look at her. "We will help you in every way that we can."

"Just being here now, with me, helps a lot," Norm answered as he stroked the side of Ralu's face with his free hand.

"How is Jake?" Norm asked as he turned back to Neytiri having vague memories of Jake being shot by an arrow.

"He is going to be fine. He is sleeping now. Max told me that he will probably sleep for some time and that I should come here and try to get some rest."

"That sounds like good advice," Gary added. "You look like you could do with a little shut eye. Why don't you lie down here on the cot next to Norm for a while?"

"I think I will do that," Neytiri answered as she was suddenly very tired.

"I'm going to call Ron and Judy to let them know Norm is awake. All of you try to get some sleep. I'll keep an eye on things while you do."

By the time Gary returned from informing Ron that Norm's avatar was awake, Neytiri was sound asleep. Ralu was curled close to Norm but neither of them was sleeping.

[xxxxx]

"You should be getting some rest too," Gary told Norm and Ralu when they looked up at him—Norm with a look of deep sadness etched into his face, while Ralu looked quite pleased and satisfied.

"Mentally, I feel like I've been turned inside out and back again," Norm answered, keeping his voice low as Gary had done so as not to wake Neytiri. "Physically, I need to get up and move. On top of that, my stomach's starting to growl."

"There are still several hours of daylight left. Let's go outside, let Neytiri catch a few hours of sleep if she can."

"Good idea. That work for you shorty?" Norm asked Ralu when she lifted her head from his chest.

"Yes. I would like to get back outside. This is an interesting place that I would like to see more." Ralu bounced up and off the cot with all the energy of a child that had been cooped up for several long rainy days.

"We won't go far, in case Neytiri wakes and wonders where we have gone," Gary said as Norm swung his feet over the side of the cot and got slowly to his feet.

"That's probably a good idea. I'm not quite as steady as I thought I would be."

"You will feel much better after you have eaten," Ralu informed him as she waited for Norm and Gary to catch up with her at the door to the hut.

"That's probably true. This avatar body hasn't had much in the way of solid food for the past few days."

"See how pretty the sky looks." Ralu took Norm's hand in hers as soon as they emerged from the hut and stood looking down the long valley that surrounded Hell's Gate.

"It is a beautiful afternoon," Norm agreed, trying not to let the unbearable weight of Karen's death smother him in grief. Because Ralu was trying so hard to make everything easier for him, he wasn't going to let himself sink back down into the bottomless abyss he had found himself in just a short time ago.

"I'm sure you already know, but there are some really nice fruits growing just over there," Ralu added, pointing to the rows of vines just off to their right.

"Yes I know. Don't worry Ralu; you don't have to baby me. I'm not going to fall apart again." Norm flashed the best smile he could muster at the moment. Which wasn't half bad considering everything he had been through. "Now, let's both of us get something to eat."

Even though she wasn't all that hungry, Ralu helped Norm pick out several different fruits that they carried back to the steps in front of the hut. Gary had waited there in case her mother awoke and came looking for them. After setting the food they had picked between where they sat, she began to peel the skin from a banana like plant while Norm bit into a fresh, juicy purple melon.

"I guess I owe you two a lot," Norm said after taking several large bites out of the melon he was eating. "I could feel—sense is probably more accurate—both of you looking for me while I was trapped deep inside this ball of unbearable pain. It felt like I was being squeezed by enormous, invisible hands. Any movement was impossible. At some point I realized that the pressure had let up to the point where I could move. I remember seeing your face Ralu, just your face. No matter which direction I turned you were always just out of reach. I was ready to start screaming when the last of the heaviness lifted and I saw your whole body. When I reached for you, you reached out and I was finally able to grasp your hand. That's when I woke up to find you staring back at me."

"I had been holding you hand for a long time. It was as though your spirit was no longer in your body. From time to time I would fell echoes of your spirit. No matter how hard I tried I could never get those echoes to stay. When I finally felt you come back, and your eyes opened, I was so happy that I felt my heart would break."

"I could see that in your eyes," Norm answered as he looked into those same warm, compassionate eyes that were smiling back at him. He was just beginning to learn the indescribable joy of seeing a child's boundless love for you reflected in their eyes. As strange and impossible as it sounded, he felt as if his avatar had found its soul-mate. Living up to the expectations of such a person was going to take everything he had.

"How did you manage to free me from the pain?" Norm asked looking back and forth between Ralu and Gary.

"Ralu and I both have empathic abilities," Gary began. "Since I have had mine for as long as I can remember, I'm assuming I was born with them. It's probably the same for Ralu. It a nutshell, we can feel the pain someone is experiencing and take that pain from them into ourselves. As long as we don't absorb too much pain too quickly we can usually rid ourselves of that pain before if harms us physically or mentally. It takes a lot of practice to do it right. Many times when I was younger I would take more than I could handle. That would knock me down for days at a time. Finally, with the help of another impath, I learned how to control my ability. As more and more of the people around me kept slipping deeper into despair I had to shut myself off completely. That's one of the main reasons that I took the offer to come here to Pandora. A lot less people meant a lot less pain to feel."

"That is how it is with me," Ralu confirmed. "When Home tree was destroyed and my birth mother was killed I had to close off the world around me. I could feel everyone's pain. I felt like I could not breathe. For many days after my father was killed I kept myself closed off from everyone around me. I knew that I could not stay that way forever. So one night I went to bond with Eywa hoping she would take some of my pain, make it possible to be open once again. It was the same night Jake passed through her eye and returned. I saw him smiling at me while I was bonded. That is when I realized that I was mean to live with Jake and Neytiri, to be theirs and as they would be mine."

"Since you were on the floor when I awoke, I assume you must have taken quite a shot," Norm said to Gary.

"Yeah, it was all of that, and more. I forgot to take into account the extra kick from your avatar. Knocked me down for a few minutes, but I managed to recover. The important thing is that we were able to pull you out. Now you can begin to heal, to accept. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but at least you can start."

"I'm sorry you had to suffer on my account, both of you, but I am grateful for everything that you did," Norm finished sincerely.

"All in a day's work," Gary replied trying to keep everything as light and easy as possible. Which he knew was damn near impossible considering everything that had happened.

"Ralu, I am going to have to go back to my human body for a while," Norm began, trying to prepare her for the emptiness he knew she would feel. "I can only stay linked for about half a day at the most, and then I need to return to my human body so that it can eat and get some sleep." He had almost said his 'real body', but like Jake he was beginning to blur the distinction between his two worlds. He knew for Ralu there was only one world even though he had two different bodies that occupied it. They both saw it from their own perspectives, even though it was the same.

"Not for a while?"

"No not for a while," Norm answered as there had been an unmistakable tone on distress in her voice.

"Don't worry shorty; I'll be back just as soon as I can. Now why don't I show you around our little playground?" he added, giving her a friendly smile.

For the next hour Norm showed Ralu around the avatar training area. Some things she found fascinating, other things a puzzle as to why the Sky People would build such a thing. The big hit was the makeshift basketball court. Trying to throw a ball through a hole seemed like a lot of fun especially when two or more could play at the same time.

[xxxxx]

Neytiri awoke to the sounds of Ralu's far-off laughter. Sitting up she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes and focus on where she was. Within seconds everything that had happened since day-break came flooding back to her. Her first thought was she needed to see Jake, touch him. When another squeal of delight from Ralu reached her ears she rose and walked to the door of the avatar hut. Stepping outside she found Gary seated on the top step.

"You don't look quite so exhausted. Sleep did you some good," Gary said to her as she looked around for her daughter.

"I feel more rested. What is Ralu doing with Norm?" she asked when she finally spotted them.

"Having fun mostly. Norm is showing her the fine sport of basketball. Thankfully, it's giving him some normal time as well as her."

"She sounds like she is having a good time. It has been a long time since I have heard anyone laugh."

"Humans have a saying that 'laughter is best medicine.' The fact that Norm can play with Ralu is a very good sign that he will come to accept Karen's death for the terrible tragedy that it is and move on with his life. Watching the two of them together only confirms my belief that she will be able to help him in ways that no one else can. Sometimes a child can see things that others cannot. I hope that you are not upset over this."

"No. I am not upset. I am surprised by how quickly they have taken to each other."

"Would you sit please? Looking up at you is giving me a kink in my neck." After she sat on a lower step so that their eyes were on the same level Gary continued. "Ralu has only been with you and Jake for a few days?"

"Yes. Three days. Although it seems much longer."

"You love her very much, don't you?"

"Of course. She is very special to us. The way she and Jake looked together the night Jake passed through the eye of Eywa made my heart ache. They looked so perfectly natural together. I knew that she should come to live with us. That we should be a family."

"Sounds like a 'love at first sight' kind of thing to me," Gary suggested. "I think it's the same with Ralu and Norm. I sense the normal mother daughter relationship between you and Ralu. I expect that I will feel the father daughter thing when I see Ralu and Jake together. You are a solid family, a whole made up of three individuals. Ralu and Norm have a special relationship that on one level is as simple as an adult-child bonding, and on another level I feel that there is something deeper, something richer. They have a common misery that they have each experienced. At times that kind of sharing can be destructive, each feeding off the despair of the other. But in their case it feels constructive, supportive as they help each other to deal with and accept the losses they have suffered. Play can be as healing for an adult as it can be for a child. The more time they spend playing together the quicker each will heal."

"I'm not sure I understood everything you just said. My knowledge of your language is not complete. But I think you are saying that just as Jake and I came to quickly love Ralu, the same is true for Norm."

"Yes, but it also goes for Ralu too. She is linked to Norm as completely as she is to you. There is something unique about her. She is definitely wise beyond her years. That sometimes happens in children who have psychic abilities. Has she ever…"

"I can see from the look on your face that Ralu has such an ability," Gary continued when he saw the shock of recognition cross Neytiri's face.

"She has told me of several visions that she has had of the future. Sometimes she gets a sense of what has happened in the past. When we went to visit a place that could be a new home for our people, Ralu sensed that something very bad had happened there a long time ago. She could not be specific, it was just a feeling. Her visions of the future are usually clearer. She told me that I would have a baby of my own. Something that has just come to be important to me. Other visions…"

"What is wrong?" Neytiri asked as a glimmer of sadness crossed Gary's face.

"Have you talked with Jake about having children of your own," Gary asked, wishing that he could have hidden his emotions from her.

"No, not yet. We have been so busy just dealing with all that has happened that we haven't had any quiet time to ourselves. Why do you ask?" That uneasy feeling that had been floating in the back of her mind surfaced to put a queasy feeling in her stomach.

Put on the spot Gary had to quickly decide what to tell her. Lying wasn't going to work. She would see through that easily enough. It was too late to bemoan that fact of 'why him'. Hoping that she would listen to everything he had to say, and not hear just the parts that were painful he began to explain something that was going to be difficult for her to hear, or fully understand.

"All females, along with their avatars, on Pandora cannot have children. Both males and females have a device implanted in them that prevents women from becoming pregnant. For humans this device is implanted before we leave Earth. Avatars have this device implanted after they arrive on Pandora. The device insures that no children are born here."

"Before she was killed, Karen told me about something called stereli'za'on—"

"Sterilization," Gary supplied.

"Yes, that is it. I had asked her if she wanted to have children and she told me about this steril'ization. She told me that this was true for all Sky People but did not say that it was the same for avatars."

"It might not have occurred to her to mention avatars when you asked if she wanted to have children," Gary began. "Sterilizing the avatars was done for two reasons. First the RDA didn't want their multi-million dollar female avatars getting pregnant. That would defeat the whole purpose of them being here in the first place. Secondly, and possibly more important, was that fact that if an avatar male impregnated a Na'vi female or a Na'vi male impregnated a female avatar the pregnancy could result in a defective child, one that was stillborn—born dead, Gary clarified— or complications might end in the death of the female before or during childbirth. I know I just said a whole lot that is going to take some time to explain. Just remember this was done to prevent harm and heartache."

"Did Jake know that he could not father a child?" Neytiri asked, feeling suddenly denied something she had come to want. Something that Ralu had said that she was going to have.

"From what I understand, Jake did not know that he was sterile until after Hometree had been destroyed. Apparently Grace told him when Quaritch had them locked up. Jake did not go through the avatar program like the rest of the avatar drivers. His twin brother Tom did. When Tom was killed just before he was to be sent here, Jake took his place. Jake knew next to nothing about the program, or avatars when he got here. Being sterile was something that no one would have thought to mention with so many more important things going on. As you said a moment ago, you and Jake have not had any quiet time to discuss many of the things mates do over the years. It is possible he didn't know that you wanted children or how to tell you that you wouldn't be able to with him. This is something for the two of you to talk about."

"This device that is placed inside his body, can it be removed?"

"I'm sure Max could do that. I'm not sure it would be a good idea for the reasons I just mentioned."

"Ralu said she had a vision of me with a baby. If that is true then the only way for it to happen is for Jake to give me the 'gift of life'. If I understand correctly this cannot happen unless the device is removed from his body."

"That is correct. What I am worried about, and I'm sure Jake would be too, is if something was to go wrong and the baby was born deformed or seriously handicapped, or you died from complications during childbirth, Jake would not be able to live with himself. That is a hard thing for a man to bear."

"You cannot be sure these bad things that you mention will happen. Is this not true?" Neytiri asked feeling overwhelmed by ideas that she couldn't see in her mind.

"I am only mentioning possible things that could go wrong," Gary answered, feeling her confusion and pain. "It is possible that nothing bad would happen and you would have a perfectly normal baby. It's also a possibility that even if the sterilization device was removed you would not get pregnant."

"I don't understand. I thought the device was the reason Jake and I cannot have a baby."

"Avatar's were created by combining human and Na'vi DNA—I'll explain that in a bit. It was very, very difficult to do. Only one in ten thousand humans DNA would combine with Na'vi DNA to create a baby. It is possible that the resulting avatar's DNA is different enough that it wouldn't combine with either human or Na'vi to produce a child. The simple fact is we just don't know what will happen if you and Jake try to have a child as it has never been done before."

"If Ralu's vision is true, and I believe it will be, then Jake and I should be able to make a child together."

"No matter how you look at this, it's going to come down to faith and taking a risk. Only you and Jake can decide if you want to take that risk. I wish I could be more helpful. Since you value Ralu's visions I would place my faith in that."

"Yes, I think you are right. Would it be alright to see Jake again?"

"You can see him any time you want now that he's out of surgery. He might be sleeping, but you can be with him as much as you want."

"The sun will be setting soon," Gary added when Neytiri looked over to where Norm and Ralu were still playing. "Norm will need to leave his avatar for the night. That might be a good time to take Ralu to see Jake. Help keep her from worrying about Norm. While she's seeing Jake she could meet Norm in his human body, if you think that would help her."

"Yes, I think it would. I will tell her on my way back to see Jake."

[xxxxx]

When Neytiri closed the inner door of the air lock and turned to see Jake looking at her, a smile lit her whole face, even her eyes were smiling. If it had been dark enough, her bioluminescent spots would have been ablaze with joy at the look in her mate's eyes. A few hours of sleep had done wonders for Jake's appearance. The exhausted, totally helpless look had been replaced by his normal 'life is great' expression that usually graced his face.

"I see you," Jake intoned, his voice strong, but gentle, welcoming the woman that he loved.

"I see you," Neytiri replied as she quickly when to him. Bending down she kissed his lips firmly. When she went to pull back, Jake's hand cupped the back of her neck to stretch out the kiss so that they were both beginning to want more.

"You look like you have rested some yourself," Jake said as he carefully looked over her face. "Something is bothering you though. I can see it in your eyes. Has something else happened?"

"No, nothing else has happened that I have heard of."

"Where's Ralu? I thought you were going to bring her with you." Neytiri picked up the disappointment in his voice and quickly tried to reassure him.

"She is outside playing basket ball, with Norm—"

"Norm's playing basketball? That's good to hear." Jake's instant excitement over Norm's improvement seemed to push his disappointment that she had left Ralu outside.

"Yes it is. Ralu and Gary helped Norm past the worst of his grief so that he could deal with what was left."

"I'm sure he will have more than enough to deal with for a long time. I know I would if anything happened to you."

"I feel the same. Gary—he is very nice, very caring—he sees a special bond between Ralu and Norm…Norm's avatar. When you see the two of them together, like we did this morning, it is easy to see as well."

"I noticed it the night Norm was stabbed," Jake added. "For Ralu it was more that tending to someone who was wounded and needed care. At first I was afraid that Ralu might get too emotional to be able to tend to Norm, but she did just great. She was able to keep Norm calm, not always an easy thing to do."

"Yes, I noticed this too."

"Norm being awake and dealing is a good thing. But that's not what put the look of concern, disappointment in your eyes. Please tell me what's bothering you." Jake knew that it was not a good sign when Neytiri had that brooding look. She was always better once she got what was bothering her out in the open.

"I was taking with Karen earlier this morning," Neytiri began, her words coming rapidly, as she tried to say what she had been thinking and why, afraid that she would sound like a whiner. "I asked if she wanted to have children of her own someday. She told me that all humans sent here cannot have children. She did not tell me the same was true for avatars. When I was talking to Gary about Ralu's gift of foresight, I told him that Ralu had a vision of me with a baby, my baby. When I said this, I could tell from his face that something was not right. That is when he told me that avatars cannot have children as well. While he was telling me this, and why it should be that way, I began to wonder why you had never told me. At first, I was hurt that you did not tell me about it. When I said you had not mentioned it, he explained about you taking your brothers place and not knowing until Grace told you, which was after we had become life mates."

"Neytiri, I don't think you have ever said so many words without stopping in all the time that I have known you." Jake was amused by the fact that she was out of breath, but he realized that was partially due to the anguish she was feeling.

"Gary is correct when he told you that I did not know my avatar was sterile until after we had mated before Eywa," Jake continued. "Grace was shot while we were escaping from Hell's Gate shortly after she told me. After that I never really thought about until the first night we spent together after I passed through the Eye of Eywa. It was then that I realized that I had to tell you. Truthfully, I did not know how I was going to do that. Before we had another chance to be alone the earthquake and storm shoved us into another disaster. Add in getting shot with an arrow this morning, there really hasn't been a good time to bring it up."

"This I know. I am not upset with you." Jake was alive when he just as easily could have been dead. At the moment that was what she was most grateful for. Compared to that, not being able to have children of her own didn't seem very import. After all, there were many _Omatikaya_ children without parents that needed to be loved and cared for. But still there as an ache inside her heart for the loss that might never come to be.

"Gary also told me," she went on, "that Max could remove the thing inside you that prevents us from having children of our own, but he said there were serious risks that we needed to consider. If it were not for Ralu's vision I would be mostly content to leave this be as Gary seemed genuinely concerned."

"You never told me about Ralu's vision," Jake said, wondering why she hadn't mentioned it before.

"She told me the morning the ground shook and the arches fell down. There was never a time after that to bring it up. We were always with other people. It was something I wanted to discuss alone."

"Our lives have been more than a bit busy lately," Jake added. "I sure could use some good old fashion boredom for a while."

"Yes, that would be nice." Neytiri readily agreed. Her desire to wrap Jake in her arms, feel his strong arms surround her, was so great it made her belly ache and burn.

"What were the risks that Gary spoke of?" Jake asked, as he knew Neytiri well enough to know she wasn't finished thinking about this.

She relayed everything Gary had said to her as best she could remember. Some of it she didn't understand, but her excellent memory allowed her to pass Gary's concerns on to Jake.

"That's a tough decision to make," Jake said slowly as he tried to absorb Gary's concerns and weigh the risks to Neytiri, and any potential unborn children. "I think we need to have Max give us more information before we can decide, unless we just go with Ralu's vision as what is going to happen. Since it looks as if I'll be here for a couple of days we don't have to decide right this minute."

"It would not hurt to listen to what Max has to say. I would like to understand better what might happen and why. As Gary seemed to be concerned, I think it best to know why."

"Later tonight, we can ask Max about this. See what he thinks."

"Yes, that would be good."

"Would you go fetch Ralu? I am really starting to miss her."

"Yes I will do that. I'm sure she is missing you too."

[xxxxx]

"From the sounds I was hearing it appeared as if you two were having a good time," Gary said to Ralu and Norm when they came back to the avatar hut.

"Yes we were," Ralu answered, her face slightly pink from exertion. "I hope we will have a chance to play more basket ball."

"Tomorrow, if it's not raining," Norm promised. "It will be dark soon; we need to get inside before it does."

"I just finished talking with Max," Gary began. "Since the other avatars are away and we are so short-handed, Max and I decided it would be best if everyone stayed inside the complex tonight. Neytiri can use the other avatar gurney while Ralu uses one of the human gurneys. Norm, Ron is setting up a temporary cot in the prep room for your avatar. We just felt it would be safer and easier all around if we stayed together."

"Makes sense to me," Norm added.

On the way back from the court, thoughts of Karen had invaded his mind without warning. The first images and feelings had almost brought him to his knees with the bright, sharp pain of hopelessness he had felt. He knew Ralu sensed something as she had looked up at him and just squeezed his hand tighter in hers. As soon as he broke his avatar link he needed to talk with Rocky, to see what he had done with Karen's body. One step at a time he told himself. One step at a time.

"Will I get to meet you in your Sky Person body?" Ralu asked, yanking Norm's attention back to her.

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea." When Ralu frowned, Norm added, "I'm really ugly, really short too. You might not like me any more after you see my human body."

"Shorter than me?" Ralu asked; her face alive with delight. "Then I get to call you shorty, right?"

"Wrong?" Norm replied hugging her to his side.

"But if I'm taller than you, then—"

"We'll have to stand back to back," Norm said; cutting her off. "See which one of us is the shortest."

"You will have to wear a mask, like Gary?" From Ralu's frown it was obvious to Norm that she didn't care for them.

"Yes I will, unfortunately. Humans and Na'vi can't breathe the same air. Your air would kill us quickly. Ours would make you silly and lightheaded. If you breathed it long enough it could hurt you. Since we don't have masks for the Na'vi to breathe our air, I will have to visit you in the prep room and wear a mask."

"What is this prep room?" Ralu wanted to know.

"It's the name of the room that has the same air as outside. Sky People use it to tend to us avatars. It is where Jake has been since we arrived here earlier."

"Norm, why don't you and Ralu gather up some food and we'll head in," Gary suggested. "I'll call in and let them know we're coming."

"Let me grab a basket," Norm replied as he disappeared inside the avatar hut.

"Norm felt some pain as we were walking back here," Ralu told Gary once Norm was inside the hut door. "I took some of it and he seemed to be able to push away the rest. Will someone be with him once he goes back to his human body?"

"We won't leave him alone tonight," Gary promised. "Someone will be with him. Right now it is good that you are helping him, but at some point he needs to be able to handle these attacks by himself. I'm sure you know that it will take many days for them to mostly go away."

"They never go away completely, do they?" Ralu asked, thinking as much about herself as about Norm.

"No they don't, not completely."

"Ready," Norm called out as he emerged from the hut with a large wooden basket.

"Get started picking what you want to take in with you. I'll lock up here," Gary told them as he ascended the steps to secure the hut for the night.

[xxxxx]

Neytiri was heading for the outer airlock door when Max, Susan and Ron entered the room through the inner airlock.

"Gary called to say they were on the way in," Max said to Neytiri as Ron as Susan started checking over Jake's monitors. "Norm and Ralu are gathering up some food for the night. Because of the breach in the perimeter fence caused by the earthquake, both Gary and I felt it would be safer if you and Ralu spent the night inside the complex, here with Jake. We will also have Norm's avatar in here as well. It will be a bit crowded, but we think it's for the best."

"Hey that's great," Jake added when he noticed Neytiri looking around the small room. "It will be just like the two nights we spent in the shelter, out of the storm." Maybe it wasn't fair to Neytiri as she had never spent any real time inside a building, but he wanted her and Ralu with him.

"With both of you in here with me I will be able to sleep better," Jake added, knowing that it would make Neytiri feel guilty if she insisted on staying in the avatar hut. The look she flashed him told him that she hadn't missed that little ploy. It would be easier to deal with her irritation with him than the worry he would not be able to put aside if she and Ralu spent the night in the avatar hut.

"You can sleep on the gurney next to Jake's," Max said into the silence that followed Jake's last words. "We are going to bring in a smaller, human size gurney for Ralu. It won't be quite what you are used to, but it will safer."

"Also," Max continued. "The four avatars at the Well of Souls are going to pair off to make sure the pump keeps operating throughout the night. The drop in the water level is already very noticeable. Your people seem quite encouraged by this."

"That is good. Our people need to have some hope come into their lives," Neytiri answered, having been distracted from her concern at spending the night inside a box that made her just a little nervous, to the progress being made on draining the Well of Souls.

At the sound of the outer airlock's inner door opening Neytiri turned to see Ralu stepping into the room with Norm right behind her. Spotting Jake, Ralu rushed to the side of his gurney and threw one arm across his chest. When Gary stepped in and closed the door behind him, the room closed in on her.

"It's a little crowded in here," Gary said looking around, but mostly to Neytiri. "Once we get you settled it will be a little roomier. Shouldn't take all that long. Ron and Susan will remote Jake's monitors to a console in the bio lab if necessary. That way you can have the room all to yourselves."

"What about Norm?" Neytiri asked as nothing was mentioned about where his avatar would rest.

"Just prop him in any convenient corner. Once the link is broken he won't care," Gary answered glibly, the grin on his face contradicting the carelessness of his words.

"Ron and Susan will bring in a portable cot," Gary quickly added when Neytiri just continued to look at him with steely eyes. It might be a bit foolhardy to tease a woman more than twice his size, but it was sure a lot of fun. "Honestly, it doesn't really matter where we put the avatar. Once the link is broken the avatar does not feel anything. The only thing that matters is keeping it safe from harm. If you would rather we can move Norm's avatar into the bio lab after Norm breaks the link. Once the link is broken the avatar breathes very little. We could setup a small tent with Pandora air for the avatar."

"No that won't be necessary," Neytiri answered. "I'm sure Ralu will sleep easier if she can see that Norm's avatar is resting comfortably."

"Jake's vitals have been rock steady since coming out of surgery," Susan told Gary and Neytiri as she and Ron prepared to setup the cot they had brought into the room with them. "Max doesn't feel we need to monitor him that closely anymore. If you notice anything unusual in his behavior, call us right away," Susan said to Neytiri.

"Yes, I will do that."

"Try to relax and just enjoy some quiet family time together," Gary added, touching Neytiri's forearm gently. "I'm going to help Ron and Susan. Then well get out of your way."

True to his word, the cot was setup along the wall nearest the airlock and all the humans had departed within minutes.

"You're looking a hell of lot better that you were this morning," Norm said to Jake after he had given him and Ralu a few minutes to talk alone.

"Same goes for you," Jake returned, looking up at one of his best friends. The fact that Ralu had taken Norm's hand in hers didn't escape Jake's notice, or the way the contact seemed to make both her and Norm more at ease.

"I'm dealing with Karen's death minute by minute."

Norm smiled when Neytiri stood on the opposite side of the gurney and reached for Jake's hand. Seeing their obvious love for each other helped to dull the pain he was holding back.

"It's going to take time to get over her death," Norm continued. "Maybe I never will, and that's the ways it's supposed to be. It's all such a senseless waste. I am trying very hard not to blame myself for her being there, but it's not easy because there is some truth to that."

"Norm, you and Jake, and now the other avatars, have shown our people that not all Sky People are monsters who want to take what they desire without regard for the lives they destroy in the process. Sadly, some of our people were so blinded by their hatred and anger that they saw anything and everything brought here by the Sky People as bad. You are not responsible for Karen's death. Blind hatred and rage are responsible."

The conviction in Neytiri's voice helped to push away some of the guilt that had been crowding in on Norm. "I know that you are right," Norm replied, looking into her strong, compassionate eyes. "I will remind myself of that whenever I start feeling guilty."

"I will remind you too, just in case you forget," Ralu added, looking up at him warmly.

"I'm sure you will…Shorty." Norm looked down at this small miracle standing beside him and wondered how he would be able to get through this ordeal without her.

"We'll see who is calling who shorty," she shot back.

"I'm a bit lost here," Jake interjected. "Help me out."

"I told Ralu that after I break the link I would come back in my human body so we could see who was the tallest."

"You're going to win," Jake told Ralu in a mock conspiratorial voice. "He's ugly too. Very bad. Maybe you should not see him that way."

"Look who's talking," Norm added. "Compared to your dad, I was downright handsome."

"Stop teasing the poor girl," Neytiri snapped at both of them. "Neither one of them is ugly, in either of their bodies."

"Mother, I know they are just teasing. I don't mind. Please don't be upset."

"Sorry, I'm just feeling a little closed in at the moment," Neytiri apologized; telling herself to relax and not be so uptight.

"I need to go for a while," Norm told Ralu as he dropped down on one knee so that they were eye to eye. "My human body needs some food and some rest. As soon as I have had both I will come back here to see you."

When Ralu's arms wrapped around his neck, Norm pull her to him in a hug that chased away many of the demons that were hounding him. Giving her a last squeeze, Norm released her and stood.

"It's been a long day, I hope you can all get some rest," Norm told Jake and Neytiri. "All you have to do is call if you want anything."

"We will do that," Jake answered. "Get some rest yourself."

When Jake offered his hand, Norm grasped Jake's forearm as a sign of their deeper friendship and loyalty. A gesture that Jake returned.

"Come, you can tuck me in," Norm added, smiling down at Ralu.

"Ralu, I will be back." Norm promised when he sat down and stretched out on the cot.

"Yes, I know that you will." After Norm closed his eyes and his body went lax, Ralu press a kiss to his forehead. "I love you," she added so softly that she was the only one who heard the words.


	10. Chapter 9

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Chapter 9**

When Norm sat up in his pod he noticed that Buck and Abby were just getting up from their pods. Stretching high he tried to loosen his muscles that had stiffened during the long and emotionally strenuous link. The first thought that hit him was Karen wasn't standing next to his pod, looking down at him, checking him for signs of stress or excess fatigue. Pushing the grief that tried to crawl up his throat viscously aside, he swung out of the pod onto his feet. He didn't even make it to the end of the aisle before Abby was wrapping her arms around him as she pressed her face against his chest. He knew that he was not the only one grieving over Karen's death. Everyone had liked Karen, especially the avatar drivers. As there was little else he could do, he just returned Abby's embrace and tried to offer her some measure of comfort, taking hers in return.

Buck simply placed his hand on his shoulder. Words were not necessary for the common tragedy that they shared. The understanding that flowed between them helped each acknowledge the pain they were both feeling. No sooner had the first sob escaped from Abby when she pushed herself away from him and swiped at the tears running down her cheeks.

"I'm not going to start this again," she said as she looked up at him, her eyes streaked with red. "I've already cried enough today. This isn't helping me or any of the rest of you."

"Sometimes it's all we can do," he said gently as he placed his hands on her shoulders and brushed a light kiss over her forehead. "If we don't let the grief out somehow, we'll shatter into a million little pieces."

"I'm not sure I can eat, but I know I have to try." Abby looked at Buck, who was anything but his usual outgoing self.

"Yeah, same here," he answered soberly.

Gary walked over with Zoe at his side. The shock of Karen's death was a heavy weight hanging over all of their heads.

"You three need to log some down time," Gary began, addressing the drivers. "Roger has setup a buffet so that we can eat whenever we feel the need. Last I checked, Rocky was in the cafeteria nursing a beer. A little alcohol might be just the thing to help some food go down."

"And getting shit-faced drunk might be a lot more satisfying," Buck added, channeling his anguish into anger. "Sadly that's not an option as we need to relieve Kyle and Judy at midnight. So some food and a single beer are going to have to suffice."

"Let's get going," Abby suggested. "Midnight will be here before we know it and I need some sleep as well as food."

"Norm, get some food too. Probably better grab a shower while you're at it," Gary said as Buck and Abby headed for the door.

"I guess I am a bit ripe," Norm answered. "Think I'll eat first. Although I may not be allowed to sit next to anyone."

"Buck, Abby, wait up," Norm called out as he hurried after them.

"How are you holding up?" Gary asked Zoe once the others had left the bio lab.

"Mostly I'm feeling kind of dazed, as if this isn't real. I know that Karen's dead, but it doesn't feel real just yet."

"I know what you mean. It's going to take time not to expect to see her standing here next to the pods, worrying over the drivers."

"I don't know how we are going to get along without her. As insensitive and selfish as that sounds, it's true."

"There are so few of us left that the loss of any one of us is a real hardship," Gary replied trying not to think about what this was going to do to their mental outlook and chances for long term survival.

"I can pick up some of what Karen used to do," Zoe volunteered. "Ron or Susan can teach me what I need to know to perform the basic tasks."

"We'll figure it out. For the time being we will have to share the driver monitoring duties as it looks like, as a group, one or more of them is going to be linked continuously for the next few days."

"Why don't you go and get something to eat," Zoe suggested. "You look like you could use some food. When you come back you can tell me about Ralu. She seems quite fascinating."

"She is all of that, plus a good deal more. Just what that 'more' entails remains to be seen. But I'd bet my last pay voucher it's going to be pretty damn significant."

[xxxxx]

When Norm, Buck and Abby entered the cafeteria they found Rocky sitting by the windows, a single bottle of beer in front of him. Filling plates with food they didn't have any appetite for, they walked over and sat down beside Rocky.

"Long damn day." Rocky greeted them with a salute of his beer bottle.

"Yeah, and it's not over yet," Buck added.

"How are you holding up?" Rocky asked looking at Norm, but the question applied to all of them.

"About as well as can be expected. It still sneaks up on me every chance it gets, but I'm dealing with it."

"How are Kyle and Judy?" Rocky asked, glancing at Abby, then at Buck.

"Hanging in there, just like the rest of us," Abby answered. "They are taking first shift to keep an eye on the pump. Buck and I will take over at midnight."

"Pump doing its job?"

"Yes, thankfully. The Omaticaya are very relieved to see the water level going down."

"Need to make a run out there in the morning with fuel for the pump." Rocky's clipped sentences showed that he was feeling the same pain as everyone else.

"I need to go back with you," Norm said, which caused everyone to look at him.

"I want to ask Mo'at if we can bury Karen's body somewhere near Grace's. One of the things she confided in me was that she did not want to be cremated. She was afraid that it would hurt. I'd like to spare her that if possible."

"I think that's a good idea," Abby added. "I doubt if Mo'at would object. You could check with Neytiri first. Get her take on it."

"Good point. I'll do that when I go see her, Jake and Ralu after I've eaten and cleaned up."

"I'm sure they'll appreciate it, the cleaning up part," Buck added teasingly.

"At first, I didn't think I would be able to eat anything," Norm began. "Now that I've started I don't want to quit. Damn, this is good cobbler."

"Yeah, same here," Buck added as he shoveled in another mouthful.

Much quicker than he thought possible, Norm found that he had cleaned his plate. "I'm going to grab a quick shower and head back to the lab. If you need me I'll be there or in the prep room."

"Say hi to Jake and Neytiri for us," Abby added as Norm headed to the kitchen with his food tray.

"Sorry to eat and run Rocky," Buck said as he got to his feet when Abby rose. "We have to get some sleep before we link up again."

"Not a problem. I expect someone else will be along shortly. If not, I'll see you in the morning."

Walking out of the cafeteria after dropping the food trays in the kitchen Abby turned to Buck.

"I'd like to ask you a favor. I'll understand if you say no."

"Okay. What do you want?"

"I want to sleep with you but not for sex. I don't want to be alone. I'm afraid I'll lose it if I'm by myself. I know it's a lot to ask."

"Jesus, Abby, I'm not that big a moron. It's not a lot to ask. I don't feel much like being by myself either, if you want the truth. Grab a shower and meet me back at my room when you're ready."

"Thanks for understanding Buck. See you in about twenty minutes."

"Twenty minutes, I'll be ready. By the way, it means a lot that you trust me enough to want to sleep with me, without the sex."

"Buck, I could climb into bed bare-ass naked and you wouldn't touch me if I didn't want you to. That's just the way you're built."

"I'd just as soon you didn't try that trick tonight, if you don't mind."

"I'll save the bare-ass naked trick for another night. See you soon."

As Buck watched Abby hurry away he wasn't quite sure what to think about Abby's last statement. The look she had tossed at him when she said it spoke of a woman that saw him as something other than a big brother. Shaking his head, Buck hurried off to make sure he was showered by the time she got there. Besides he couldn't exactly remember what the state of his room was when he left it in the morning.

[xxxxx]

The instant Norm opened the door to his room he smelled Karen's scent. For several seconds he stood in the open doorway and just breathed slowly until the pain and panic subsided. Steeling his mind he entered the room and closed the door. He spotted her nightgown on the bed. It took all of his will power not to pick it up and just bury his face in it. If he did that he knew he would fall apart again. He had promised Ralu that he wouldn't do that. Peeling off his clothes he stepped into the shower, setting the water temperature as hot as he could stand.

Looking like a lobster ready to be served, Norm stepped out of the shower into a steam filled bathroom. Ruling out shaving—his hand wasn't steady enough—he quickly dressed in the bedroom. Knowing that at some point he would have to pick up her nightgown, he reached down and gathered it up. Folding it neatly he placed it in the drawer that held some of her other clothes she left in his room. The first night he spent alone in this room was going to be brutal. He wasn't sure he was up for it tonight. Killing the lights he left the room and headed for the bio lab.

Entering the lab he found Zoe at the main console talking with Kyle and Judy on the sat-comm-link. Standing behind her he listened in on the conversation.

"There is enough fuel to run the pump for sixteen hours," Kyle informed Zoe. "Everything is quiet here. Mo'at is making sure we are well cared for. She has assigned Tey'bar and Ell'a'u to watch over us. Seeing as they spend a lot of time watching each other I hope it stays quiet tonight. All of the clan members that have come to see what progress we have made have been very friendly. As most don't speak any English it's nice having Ell'a'u and Tey'bar around. With nothing else to do, we are making some progress with our Na'vi. I wish we had thought to bring a deck of cards. Have Rocky bring a couple, would you?"

"I'll pass that along to him as soon as I see him," Zoe answered.

"Does Neytiri still want to speak with her mother?" Judy asked.

"Yes she does. Can you find Mo'at and call back? I'll link you into the prep room console when you do."

"We can find her easily enough. When we first mentioned that Neytiri wanted to talk with her over the sat-link, Mo'at didn't look to happy about it. I got the impression she would rather pick up a viper wolf cub than the sat-link."

"Once she hears Neytiri's voice she might change her mind," Zoe replied. "It's worth a try."

"Right. Call you back in fifteen minutes, give or take."

"Where's Gary?" Norm asked after the com-link closed.

"He went up to get something to eat. I expect him back in half an hour."

"I will be in the prep room if anyone is looking for me. Let Jake know I'll be coming in shortly, would you please?"

"Will do," Zoe answered.

"By the way, what happened to the human clone? I didn't see it in the prep room." Norm asked when he suddenly remembered its absence.

"Max had Ron and Susan move it to the auxiliary staging area while we were waiting for you to arrive. He didn't want it in the room while they were performing surgery on Jake. Just a precaution."

"Probably a wise move, in more ways than one. See you later."

Giving Zoe time to inform Jake that he was coming, Norm hunted up an exopack. Even though he knew it was silly, he had butterflies in his stomach over meeting Ralu for the first time in his human body. Sighing to himself that it was a day of firsts he entered the airlock.

Stepping out of the airlock Norm almost rammed straight into Ralu. It was a tossup as to which was more surprised. Even though Ralu looked the same to Norm, it was totally different from this lower perspective. The close likeness between Norm's human and avatar faces left no doubt in Ralu's mind as to who he was. For an awkward moment they just looked at each other. A wide grin burst across Ralu's face an instant before she pulled Norm into a tight hug. The first thing that registered in Norm's mind was that this was one strong little girl.

"You look just as I imagined you would," Ralu said as she released him and stepped back.

"You look a lot taller." Norm answered soberly. It was a bit of a shock to be face to face with her.

"Actually, I think we are the same height." Ralu passed her hand from the top of her head to the top of Norm's. "Close enough that it doesn't matter."

Taking Norm's hand in hers without even thinking about it, she directed him to where Jake and Neytiri were lying on separate gurneys, facing each other.

"Norm has returned, just as he said he would."

"I see that. How are you feeling?" Neytiri asked.

"Pretty good actually; now that I've had something to eat and a shower."

"Good to see you again," Jake added. "Too bad it couldn't be under better circumstances."

"Yeah, like you not having an arrow sticking out of your chest for starters."

"Believe me, I wish that as much as you do." Jake replied, deciding to leave it up to Norm to bring up Karen's death if he wanted to.

"Did Zoe tell you that Kyle and Judy are looking for your mother so that you can speak with her," Norm asked Neytiri.

"Yes she did. This will be a first for mother. I'm interested to see how she does."

"I haven't seen much your mother can't do," Norm added. "Once she hears your voice she will be just fine."

"I hope so," Neytiri replied.

"Max give you any indication when he thinks you can go home?" Norm asked, turning his attention back to Jake.

"Two or three days. That's what he said earlier this afternoon."

"You still won't be able to do much, but it will be better than just sitting around here."

"That's very true."

"Not much to look at, is it?" Norm asked Ralu as she was gazing around the room with its high ceiling and pale green walls.

"No. I liked the avatar hut much better."

"So do I," Norm added. "You will most likely only need to spend one night in here; two at the most."

"Neytiri, do you think your mother, or any of your people, would be upset if I asked to have Karen buried near where Grace is buried?"

"No, I can't see why anyone would object."

"Would it be better if you asked, or should I?"

"I'll ask mother. When would you like to do this?"

"When you go back, I'll go with you and take her body with me. If that's all right."

"That should work. Leave the arrangements to me. It is something I would like to do. For you, and for Karen."

"Thanks. I would appreciate that," Norm replied, a little of the weight lifting from his heart.

"How about a game of tic-tak-toe?" Norm asked, turning his attention back to Ralu.

"What is that?" Ralu asked, her interest instantly perked.

Pulling a PVC from its docking station Norm sat down across from the end of Jake's gurney, motioning for Ralu to sit facing him.

After selecting the game from a list of oldies-but-goodies, Norm set the PVC between them and proceeded to explain the rules.

[xxxxx]

When Gary walked into the cafeteria he found the place empty. Grabbing a tray he placed a few haphazard selections on it without really thinking about what he was selecting. Sitting next to the window so he could gaze out at Polyphemus hanging in the western sky he began to eat without tasting what he put in his mouth. Many, many times he had cursed his special gift over the course of his life, but today wasn't one of them. Having helped Norm when he needed it had left a satisfying feeling in his gut. Once he rid himself of the pain that he had absorbed.

When Max walked in alone, Gary caught his eye. After getting food for himself, Max sat down across from Him.

"What is Jake's prognosis?" Gary asked.

"Excellent. He should make a full recovery. Damage to his lung was minimal. He'll be sore as hell for a few days. As long as he takes it easy he should not have any problems."

"Hopefully things will stay uneventful for a while. Give the Omaticaya a little peace and quiet. They sure deserve it."

"Yes they do."

"Neytiri and Jake are going to want to talk with you about them having children," Gary said, after Max had finished eating. He didn't want him to choke.

"I'm not surprised," Max answered, which surprised Gary.

"Really!"

"I take it Jake told her that he is currently sterile."

"Actually, I told her, earlier this afternoon. She was talking about a conversation she had with Karen this morning where Karen mentioned that all humans of Pandora were sterile. Karen didn't tell her the same was true with the avatars. From my response, Neytiri guessed that there was something I was not telling her. I felt it best to tell her the truth. Layout all the reasons the avatars are rendered sterile."

"What was her response?" Max asked.

"She was trying to understand everything I was telling her. She didn't get everything, but she got the basics. What was interesting, and started the whole discussion in the first place, was that Ralu told her of a vision she had in which Neytiri had a child of her own."

"That's interesting. Was it just wishful thinking on Ralu's part or does she have precognitive abilities?"

"I know for a fact that she has empathic abilities, so I don't discount the she may have other abilities as well. The gift of sight may well be one of them. She is a very special girl."

"As I said, interesting," Max mused. "I have given some thought to what I would do if Jake asked me to remove his implant. Ideally, I would like to harvest some of Neytiri's eggs and try fertilizing them with Jake's sperm. That would tell us a lot about the potential outcome of any pregnancy that might result. I don't think Neytiri would be comfortable with that option. It's not conclusive that even if I could create a viable embryo in the lab, she could conceive. If she did manage to conceive I would like to see her regularly just to make sure the fetus is developing properly. Jake might be able to talk her into that. She seems reasonable where someone's welfare is concerned."

"I think she might agree to that. Anyway, I just wanted to give you a heads up."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

[xxxxx]

"Think you're pretty cagey, don't you?" Norm asked Ralu when she humiliated him with a quadruple jump of his last four pieces in their tenth game for supreme domination in Pandora's first planet-wide tournament of checkers.

"I rule!" Ralu burst out as she shoved her closed fist in the air to signal yet another victory over her puny human contestant.

"You must have cheated," Norm grumbled.

Norm should never have lowered his eyes. Ralu was on him, shoving him over backwards, straddling his chest before he even saw it coming. Laughing like a lunatic, she pinned his arms and looked down at the softest eyes she had ever looked into. Physically there wasn't a single similarity between his human eyes and those of his avatar. The expression she read in them however was identical, Pure Love. Very much like the love in Neytiri and Jake's eyes when they looked at her, but with something extra.

"I see you," she said quietly, her voice catching on the boundless feeling she had for him. She had lost her father, for whom she would always grieve. Now she had a new father, and another that was something very special in her young girl's heart.

"I see you, and I see me through your eyes." Norm placed one of his hands, which she had freed, gently on the side of her face. "If I get through this ordeal without my heart breaking it is going to be because of you. I haven't the words, Na'vi or English, to tell you what you mean to me. If you were my own daughter, I couldn't be more proud of you, of who and what you are."

When her throat closed, making any answer impossible, Ralu lowered herself to lie beside Norm and rested her head on his chest. Listening to sound of his human heart she let his scent fill her, stored it away as a memory she would always be able to bring back.

"It's getting late," Norm began, knowing it was time to try and get some sleep, but fully realizing he probably wouldn't. "I need to go to bed if I'm going to be any kind of match on the basketball court tomorrow."

"I don't want you to go." If force would have worked she would have simply sat on him until he agreed to stay the whole night.

"I know, but I do need the sleep. I'll be alright." Norm began, sounding quite pitiful. "If I start feeling too sad, I'll think of you trying to sleep on that hard old gurney while I snuggle into my nice soft bed."

"Hey!"

Before Ralu could respond further, Norm rolled her over and began tickling her. Caught as off guard as Norm had been moments before, she shrieked with uncontrollable laughter.

"All right children. You're hurting my ears," Neytiri said as she stood over them, frowning at them.

Getting to his feet, Norm held out a hand and pulled Ralu to her feet when she placed her hand in his.

"I want to thank you again for getting permission to bury Karen with Grace. It means a lot to me. I know it's unnecessary, but I will thank your mother next time I see her."

"It is the least we can do," Neytiri answered.

"Jake, old man. Try and get some rest. Max will probably let you outside tomorrow if you look up to it."

"I'll be ready. Just make sure you are."

"Good night, sleep well. I'll see you all bright and early."

Giving Ralu one last hug, Norm hurried from the room before he changed his mind and just slept on the floor.

[xxxxx]

Entering the bio lab Norm found Gary and Zoe sitting at the master console. "Everything going okay?" he asked.

"Everything is under control, at least for the moment," Gary replied.

"Where is everyone?"

"Buck and Abby are sleeping. They should be here in about an hour. I think the rest are in the cafeteria or the game room." Zoe answered.

"I'm going to try and get some sleep," Norm began. "If I don't, I'm going to fall flat on my face."

"One of us will be here all night. Just call if you need anything," Gary added.

"Will do. See you in the morning."

Gary and Zoe watched as Norm walked away. "I hope he will be able to get some sleep," Zoe offered after Norm left the lab.

"I think he will. If for no other reason than sheer exhaustion," Gary added.

"I'm going to check on Kyle and Judy's pods," Zoe said as she got to her feet. "Susan should be here shortly to take the next shift."

"I've setup all of our rooms, and the cafeteria on quick-call, just in case whoever is on shift needs to get a hold of us. I'm not expecting any problems, but it pays to be prepared."

Fifteen minutes later, Susan and Max entered the lab.

"You are officially relieved," Susan told Gary when she came over to where he was sitting. "Anything I need to know?"

"Nope. All's quiet. Zoe logged the pod readings for Kyle and Judy. Haven't heard a peep from Jake or Neytiri. Ron relieves you at two, right?"

"Right. If he doesn't show, I'll send Rocky after him. That will get his skinny ass moving."

"You're all heart Susan," Gary said mockingly.

"No, I'm not. Now you two get. Max is going to stay awhile, check on some research he's been looking into."

"All our rooms are on quick-call," Gary pointed out. "See you tomorrow."

Waiting for Zoe, Gary headed for the lab's inner airlock to the rest of the complex.

"Hungry?" Gary asked Zoe once they were through the airlock. She seemed nervous to him. Unable to remember when the last time she had eaten, he figured it was probably just low sugar.

"No, not especially. Gary, I don't want…I want to sleep with you."

Well so much for being nervous from low blood sugar Gary thought to himself. "That's handy, as I want to sleep with you too. Just to be clear, are we talking about sleeping or sex?"

"Sex first, then sleep," Zoe answered looking directly into his eyes. She had debated with herself off and on all afternoon and evening about just out and out asking him to have sex with her. Now that she had asked and he had welcomed the idea the tightness in her throat eased, a little.

"My I ask why you want to have sex with me?"

"A number of reasons I suppose," Zoe began as he took her hands in his. The intimacy of the gesture further settled her nerves. "Top of the list is that life can be very, very short. That in itself is not a good enough reason to just jump into bed with anyone. I have a great deal of respect for you. For the load that you carry in worrying about all of us. The past few days my feelings for you have grown quite a lot. Part of the reason may also have to do with not wanting to be alone. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I need you. I think you need me as well. We can support each other on a personal level as well as a working level. As I have never been in love before, I don't know if my feelings for you will grow to that or not. If they do that would be nice. If not, I still think we can provide comfort and support to each other."

"That's quite a speech, from someone who doesn't talk a great deal." He was moved by all that she had said to him, both with words and with her eyes. Placing his hands gently on the sides of her face he bent down to run his lips gently across hers. "The only thing left to ask is…your room or mine?"

[xxxxx]

A strange buzzing sound roused Abby from a deep, dreamless sleep. As she surfaced, she felt disoriented, out of place. Rolling onto her side she bumped into a solid wall. Reaching out with a fumbling hand she realized that the solid wall behind her was human. Instantly her memory focused on where she was and why. When the alarm continued to buzz she gave Buck a jab in the back with her elbow.

"Turn that cursed thing off," she mumbled. Her vocal chords were still sleeping.

"Yeah, yeah," Buck grumbled as he rolled away to the far side of the bed. The buzzing ended abruptly after several failed attempts to find the off button in the dark.

"What time is it?" Abby asked as she could not see the clock and had taken off her watch before getting into bed.

"Eleven fifteen."

"I slept like the dead. Didn't have a single dream that I can remember," Abby commented as she sat up and swung her feet over the side of the bed.

"I had a couple that I can vaguely remember. Nothing like those that wake you up terrified half to death."

"Give me five minutes and I'll be ready," Abby said when she stood up and stretched. Heading for the bathroom she picked up the clothes she planned to change into.

As soon as Abby closed the door Buck dropped out of bed onto the floor and did twenty-five quick push-ups. Rolling onto his back he added twenty five sit-ups. After getting up and flipping on the overhead light, he slipped on clean sweat pants and shirt, stepped into his sandals while he waited for Abby to finish dressing.

As promised, Abby exited the bathroom fully dressed in under five minutes. While Buck was in the bathroom Abby used the time to throw the bed covers back into order. He had given her exactly what she needed and wanted during their short sleep. Comfort and someone to chase away any bad dreams that might have come her way. She would have to give some serious thought about taking their relationship to the next level. Their paring as avatars was working very well. The four of them—when you included Judy and Kyle—made for a great team. Kyle and Judy didn't seem to be having any issues balancing their intimate relationship with their professional one. Food for thought.

"You didn't have to do that," Buck commented when he saw that Abby had made up the bed. "But thanks anyway."

"I could use something to eat," Abby said as soon as they stepped into the hallway and Buck closed his door.

"Me too. Roger usually leaves something around to eat."

Wanting to be in the link room ready to go by eleven-forty-five made for a quick trip to the cafeteria where the found some left over apple cobbler. Opting for only half a cup of coffee they ate quickly.

The large digital clock read 23:40 when they entered the bio lab to find Susan writing notes in the log journal.

"Right on time," Susan said as she looked up when Buck and Abby reached her station.

"Everything quiet at the Well of Souls?" Buck asked.

"Haven't heard a peep from Kyle or Judy in the past two hours."

"We'll link up right away," Abby began as she headed for her usual pod. "I'm sure they are tired. It's been a long day for them."

"We will check in at two," Buck informed Susan as he headed for his pod.

"Ron will be taking over then for the rest of the night. One of us will be here to take your call."

Susan followed Buck and Abby to their pods. When the lids closed she checked the progress of their links on the local monitors. Satisfied that everything was working as it should be she returned to the master console.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Welcome back," Judy said to Abby as her avatar activated a few seconds before Buck's.

By the time she stood, Buck was back in control of his avatar.

"Where's Kyle?" Buck asked when he got quickly to his feet.

"He's with Tey'bar. They're checking on the intake. Making sure it's out far enough."

"Any problems since we left?" Abby asked as she looked around at all the bioluminescent light being given off by almost everything around them.

"Quiet as a grave yard—sorry, bad choice of words—make that quite as a mouse at a cat show."

"Not sure that analogy's any better. Especially if we are the mice," Abby added, chuckling lightly.

"If the people who attacked earlier and got away are still around they haven't done anything. Ell'a'u seemed to think that with ZaeZae and several others of their group dead we wouldn't be having any more trouble from them. Good in theory."

"But time will tell," Buck added just before his attention was drawn to Kyle and Tey'bar walking towards them.

"Good to see you," Kyle said when he reached the spot where Abby and Buck were talking with Judy. "The pump was been chugging right along. Water level is down a solid four feet."

"Anyone complaining about the noise from the pump?" Abby asked as it was a very foreign sound for the Omaticaya's most sacred place.

"No one has complained to us," Judy answered. "They may have said something to Mo'at."

"Can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs," Buck added. "As long as the water level is going down I doubt anyone will complain too strenuously."

"The biggest drawback to the noise is that it makes it damn difficult to hear anything else," Kyle said as his gaze swept the area.

"Is anyone else with you?" Buck asked Tey'bar.

"I have posted several other hunters at various places. We are keeping watch over those that are sleeping."

"That's probably a good idea," Buck replied. "I doubt we will have to worry about anything for tonight. If those against us are still out there and plan to attack again they will likely need a few days to regroup and plan a different tactic."

"You and Kyle should go and get some sleep," Abby said to Judy. "Buck and I will take it from here."

"I sure could use some," Judy replied. "I'm sure my human body is going to demand food before it will even think about sleeping."

"There is some food in the cafeteria. Pickings are a bit slim."

"I'll probably take just about anything. I know Kyle will. Here's the sat-link," Judy added, handing it to Abby.

"Ready there big guy?" Judy asked Kyle.

"Ready and waiting," Kyle replied easily.

"Waiting my ass," Judy retorted.

"And such a lovely ass it is," Kyle added without cracking a smile.

"Come on lover-boy. It's time to hit the road, and the sheets."

[xxxxx]

"What are you smirking about," Abby asked Buck as they covered Judy and Kyle's avatars with a light waterproof cover. The avatars didn't need to be covered. The gesture was more for their driver's benefit. It just seemed more…human.

"I was wondering why Judy didn't lay down under him. That would seem to be their more natural position."

"Perhaps we should have rolled her on top of him," Abby suggested. "She seems to like being in charge."

"I don't know what it is with these two," Buck began, scratching his head as if that would help to find an answer. "Don't get me wrong, I think sex is great—even though I'm not actually having any—but these two seem determined to set some kind of planetary record."

"Most likely they both have an overabundance of hormones."

"Yeah, and those hormones flowed right through into their avatars."

"It certainly does appear that way." Abby added, shaking her head.

"Since their preoccupation with sex hasn't affected their ability to work with us as a team, it's none of our business how they spend their time off."

"Very good point. It's just hard not to comment on them from time to time. One of these days I'm going to work up the nerve to ask Judy what it's like when they join queues. Supposedly it's a level of intimacy far beyond what we humans can experience."

"I'm not sure if that wouldn't take some of the mystery and romance out of sex. If you felt everything your partner felt, knew every thought they had; that just might be like losing yourself, your individualism."

"You do have a point," Abby replied thoughtfully.

"Looks like Ell'a'u is awake," Buck said as he gestured to where she was standing beside Tey'bar.

"As it's going to be a long night, perhaps they will help us pass the time."

"Never hurts to ask," Buck added as he led the way up the incline towards their Na'vi hosts.

Norm woke precisely at 6:00 AM. His dreams had been troubled, but not nightmarish. Something he was very thankful for. Karen's scent was still noticeable. I didn't seem as strong as it had when he came back to his room last night. He was sure in time it would fade altogether—a thought that depressed him. Getting up, he showered to wash off the night sweat and then dressed quickly. Leaving the room he headed straight for the cafeteria and a cup of strong black coffee.

As usual, Roger had the coffee out, along with assorted breakfast rolls, dry cereals and juice. Today's flavor looked just a little disgusting for so early in the day. Opting for a granola substitute, Norm took his cereal, coffee and a roll over by the window to eat. It was still mostly dark, but the light reflected off Polyphemus made it easy to see the surrounding valley's walls. Putting his anguish and considerable anger over Karen's death aside he tried to concentrate on all the good times they had together. He wanted to remember those, cherish those memories. He knew that in the long run the only way to survive emotionally was to cherish all that was good about her. By the time he finished eating his heart felt a little lighter. Depositing his food tray in the kitchen he headed for the bio lab.

Ron was sitting at the master console, his head leaning against the back of the chair, when Norm walked into the lab. Going straight to the pods he checked on Buck and Abby's monitors. As they appeared completely normal he made his way over to the prep room's observation window and looked down. Jake and Neytiri appeared to be sleeping. At first he did not see Ralu. The gurney she was supposed to sleep on was empty. A jolt of panic rose in his throat until it dawned on him that his avatar hadn't sprouted an extra arm during the night. A closer look revealed that Ralu was sleeping between his avatar and the wall. Walking back to the console he shook Ron's shoulder to wake him.

"What!" Ron exclaimed as he jolted awake.

"I'm going in," Norm told him. He didn't add that he had checked Buck's and Abby's monitors. Ron could get defensive. For all he knew Ron might have dozed off just minutes before he entered the lab. No use starting a pissing match.

"You sure are up early," Ron commented as he rose to follow Norm to his usual pod.

"It's going to be another long day. Need to get an early start. Give me a call when Gary or Max comes in, would you?"

"Sure, no problem," Ron answered as the lid to Norm's pod began to close.

Closing his eyes Norm waited for the accustomed rush of linking with his avatar.

[xxxxx]

An instant after his mind joined with his avatar Norm felt Ralu stir beside him.

"You're back," she said as she sat up facing him.

"Yes I am. Did you sleep here all night?"

"Mostly. I tried using the bed on wheels. It was not to my liking. Very hard. So I slept here instead. I felt closer to you, so I slept easier. Did you have trouble sleeping?"

"Only a little bit. Actually, I slept much better than I thought I would. I told myself that I had to be brave because that is what you expected me to be."

"That is good. When can we get out of this place? I feel…squeezed in."

"Soon. After there is light enough to see."

"How much longer will that be?"

"Not very long."

"How—"

"Ralu, I am going to get you a watch and teach you how to tell time," he answered, his frustration getting the better of him. "That way I can say it will be one hour and you can look at your watch and know how much time is still left to wait."

"What is a watch?"

"I should have had that second cup of coffee," he muttered, shaking his head.

"Coffee; that is something that you drink, right?"

"Yes. Sometimes I drink it in large volumes as it helps me get through the day."

"I do not understand." The expression on Ralu's face showed clearly that she didn't have a clue what he was getting at.

"Sorry, I must not have gotten as much rest as I thought I had."

"You are sorry that I do not understand or sorry that you drink coffee?"

"You might as well get used to this," Jake said, his head propped up on his elbow. "It will take you a lifetime to get your point across. Almost every explanation leads to another question."

"Yes, I can see that. It's something that I know. Sorry Ralu. I will try to be more patient with you. A lot of the words I use don't have any real meaning for you. That makes it hard to say what I want to say. Like right now. As to your first question, we should be able to go outside in about the same amount of time as it took us to fly here yesterday."

"That I understand," Ralu added, shaking her head affirmatively.

"Good. That's one mystery solved."

"How are you feeling?" he asked Jake before Ralu could ask about mysteries.

"Pretty good actually. Stiff and sore, but that is to be expected."

"Good morning, Neytiri." he added when she sat up and looked over at him. The frown that came and went quickly did not escape his notice.

"Good morning to you," she repeated. Jake had taught her several of the customary human greeting rituals. She applied them as best she could remember.

When he sat up, Ralu jumped down to race over and scramble up on her mother's gurney, where she gave her a huge hug. All he could think of was how natural they looked together. The bond between them was very strong. A small pang of regret passed through him that he would never have that kind of a bond now that Karen was gone. Rising he went to look in the basket of food he and Ralu had picked yesterday for something to eat.

[xxxxx]

"How's my patient doing this morning?" Max asked Jake as he and Susan entered the prep room.

"I feel I hell of lot better that I did yesterday, when I arrived."

"Hard to feel much worse, and still be here today."

"Did you manage to get any sleep?" Max asked Neytiri as he removed the dressing over Jake's wound so he could get a good look at it.

"More than I thought I would," she answered as she shifted to get a better look at the rapidly healing hole in Jake's chest.

"The synthetic regenerative tissue seems to be working very well," Max said as he looked closely at the wound using his penlight. "You will have a scar, but it should fade over time until it's barely noticeable."

"I already have several of those. One more isn't going to be any big deal."

"Where is Ralu?" Max asked after he finished inspecting the wound and directed Susan to apply a fresh dressing.

"She and Norm are outside in the training area. She was starting to climb the walls, so we sent them out. They're supposed to be gathering food for breakfast."

"You two should go outside as well. The air and light exercise will do you both good. Just don't get too active. The external sutures are self-dissolving. They will fall out on their own in a few days. So don't worry about them when they do."

"What are the chances of returning to the Well of Souls today? I can take it easy there just as easily as I can here."

"I would like to keep you for one more day just to be sure, but I understand your need to get back. The sooner the Omaticaya see you up and about the better. This is a very difficult time for them. Not having the both of you with them only makes it more so."

"Is that a yes?" Jake asked looking directly at Max.

"It is on the condition that you take care of yourself. No more stepping in front of arrows. Neytiri, I'm counting on you to make sure he doesn't over exert himself."

"I will see to it that he gets the rest he needs. For the next few days while the water is being emptied from the Well of Souls there will not be much to do. There are more than enough hunters to gather food, see to the gathering of firewood. It will be a good time to talk among ourselves about the trees that we visited just before the storm."

"In that case Jake, I'm releasing you into the care of your mate. Besides, it will give me a good excuse to get out of this place for a while. I will come and see you in a couple of days. If the wound starts seeping blood or appears to be infected, call me at once."

"I will do that."

"While I have you both here I would like to talk to you about having children of your own. I know this is something that has come up. Neytiri, Gary filled me in on the conversation you had with him yesterday. He tried to give you the facts as best he knew them. If you have other questions or concerns I would be happy to answer them."

"I think I understood most of what he was telling me, or at least the bad things that could happen." Neytiri was grateful that she had already told Jake about her talk with Gary. She had seen the surprise on his face when she told him about it. But his surprise quickly passed and they had talked about all their options late into the night once Ralu had fallen asleep.

"Neytiri and I discussed what Gary told her," Jake began. "There is a lot to consider, a lot that could go wrong. Or maybe nothing will. According to what Gary said, we don't even know if it will be possible for Neytiri to get pregnant. Avatars and Na'vi could be incompatible."

"Yes, that is true. We have no historical data to go by. You two would be the first to attempt to conceive a child."

"Life is a gamble," Jake began. "The fact that I'm here, still alive, is living proof of that. I could just as easily be dead—or not wounded at all. We would like to try to have a child. Ralu's vision played into our decision as we both have faith in such things. She had that vision for a reason. We like to think that she had it to help us make the decision that we made, to take the chance of having a child of our own."

"You are both mature enough to understand the risks. As the RDA's rules no longer apply here, I don't have an issue with shutting off your sterility device. Before I do that I would like to do an ultrasound on Neytiri, if both of you agree. It's just a precaution."

"What is it you wish to do?" Neytiri asked hesitantly.

"An ultrasound is a way of seeing inside your body. There isn't any pain. No scars or anything like that. I want to check your ovaries and uterus just to make sure everything is normal. It will only take a couple of minutes."

"How will checking inside me help us have a child?"

"It won't help you conceive. What it will tell us is that you might have a difficult time conceiving or carrying the baby to full term. It is just a precaution. The choice is completely up to you."

"This you may do," Neytiri answered after looking at Jake for his confirmation.

"Just lie on your back," Max ordered after Susan had wheeled the ultrasound equipment between the two gurneys.

"She is going to spread a special gel on your stomach that will make the ultrasound images clearer. It will feel cool on your skin. If you turn your head towards the monitor I will describe the images you will see."

"I'll warm the gel in my hands before I spread it over your belly," Susan said as she stood next to Neytiri's gurney, while max stood between Jake and Neytiri.

"It feels a bit weird," Susan added when Neytiri's breath caught as she started to apply the gel.

As Susan slowly moved the sensor back and forth over Neytiri's belly the image of her internal organs began to form. The highly sophisticated image processor generated a three dimensional model that made it easy to see each of the organs individually or in relation to each other. Max could rotate the view to any angle and zoom in to see the tiniest detail.

"The data from your scan is being combined with the data we have stored on Na'vi anatomy," Max began. "This is your uterus, your womb. It is where the baby will grow until it is time to be born."

When Max glanced at Neytiri to see if she understood what he was telling her, he wasn't surprised to see that her eyes were a little larger than normal. They were intently focused on the image being displayed on the screen, a look of wonder on her face.

"It looks completely normal. Your ovaries, here and here, look normal as well. I will study the recorded images in more detail later, but I don't see anything that would make it difficult for you to conceive."

"That is good," Neytiri answered, a little disturbed by the images, but deeply fascinated by them at the same time.

"Yes it is. Jake, lie back and I will deactivate the sterility device. I can stop it from injecting the inhibitor into you blood stream without removing it by subjecting it to a focused magnetic field that will seal the injection port. It will only take a few seconds."

In less than a minute Jake was sitting up on the side of the gurney after Max had deactivated the device. When his eyes met Neytiri's he didn't know if there was any appropriate thing to say at a time like this. When his stomach growled loudly, the moment passed.

"Sounds like you could use some food," Max commented.

"Feels like I could too. Ready?" he asked Neytiri after Susan finished wiping the gel off of Neytiri's abdomen.

"Yes. It will be good to get outside."

"I'll let you know when Rocky will be ready to head out," Max said as Jake and Neytiri prepared to leave the room.

"Thanks again for everything, that includes the use of the pump," Jake replied.

"Don't mention it, and don't stop any more arrows either."

"Top of my list of things to avoid," Jake added just before he followed Neytiri into the airlock.

[xxxxx]

"Max, is there something you didn't tell them?" Susan asked after Jake and Neytiri left the airlock.

"No, well nothing specific."

"It's just that you are frowning, which means something is on your mind."

"The frown is from worry. I'm almost hopping that she won't be able to conceive. If she does and the fetus is defective it could kill her, or she could miscarry, or possibly the child would be stillborn. The possibilities of serious birth defects also factor in. I wish I had better data on Na'vi births. About the only fact that we know is that Na'vi females ovulate about four times a year for a span of ten years. It's one of the factors that help with population control. I speculate that ovulation doesn't begin again for a much longer time after birth compared to human females. A census of family demographics would be quite helpful."

"If we can earn the Na'vi's trust perhaps that is something they would share with us."

"Perhaps." Max responded absently as he was already thinking about how to process Neytiri's ultrasound data.

"I saw Gary and Zoe in the observation window," Susan began. "I'll let them know that Jake will be heading back today."

"Thanks, Susan."

Susan found Gary at the master console in the bio lab. Zoe was busy helping Abby out of her pod.

"Max has cleared Jake to return to his people today. Would you let Rocky know so he can pick them up?"

"I thought he might. Norm made arrangements with Mo'at to have Karen buried near Grace. Rocky is seeing to her body. I'll let him know that he will have four passengers."

"Thanks Gary. I see Abby and Buck have returned."

"Yes, Kyle and Judy relieved them about half an hour ago."

"Anything I can do?" Susan asked.

"Give Buck and Abby a quick checkup. It looks like all the drivers are going to be spending more time than usual linked up. I don't want their human bodies getting run down."

"On it. I'll let you know the results as soon as I'm finished."

[xxxxx]

"I know it's silly to feel different, but I do," Jake told Neytiri as soon as they stepped outside.

"I'm excited, and I'm scared. I have felt so many things in my heart since Gary told me about what could happen, or not happen if we try to have a child."

"It's a bit overwhelming. All we can do now is wait and see."

"We must do a little more than that," Neytiri replied, a wicked little grin crossing her face.

"Well of course, that goes without saying," Jake answered, a matching grin on his face. "How long would you be pregnant if we can make a baby?"

"For almost a full year."

"Damn, that's a long time."

"It will go by quickly enough. For several days before the baby is born it is difficult for a woman to move about. Bonding with banshees and direhorses is usually avoided after her belly gets to a certain size."

"I have a lot of questions, but they are going to have to wait," Jake told her as Ralu raced up to them and wrapped an arm around each of their waists.

"Come, we have picked plenty of food. Norm is waiting for us on the steps to the hut."

"Feeling better now that you are outside?" Neytiri asked as she smiled down at her new daughter.

"Yes, much better. I hope we can sleep out here in the hut tonight."

"Actually we will be sleeping with our people tonight. Max said that Jake has healed enough for us to leave."

"Really?" The grin that crossed Ralu's face was just what Jake needed.

"Really, really, really," he replied as he stooped down to give her a firm hug.

"Is Norm coming with us?" Ralu asked after Jake released her.

"Yes, I assume he is."

"I will go and see." Ralu raced off with Jake and Neytiri wanking at a leisurely pace behind her.

Norm was standing at the bottom of the steps when Jake and Neytiri arrived. He had been watching them walk towards him for a couple of minutes. Jake's movements were a little stiff, but he didn't seem to be in any real pain.

"Good to see you up and about," he said when they reached him.

"It's good to be alive, that much I can tell you." Jake added giving Norm's shoulder a firm squeeze.

"Ralu tells me that Max said you can return to the Well of Souls today."

"As long as he doesn't try to do too much," Neytiri added. "We are all going to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't."

"I'm starting to feel henpecked already."

"What does that mean?" Ralu asked.

"It means he feels that too many females are going to be telling him what he can and can't do," Norm interjected before Jake could answer.

"But it will be for his own good," Ralu added, looking slightly confused.

"That's what they always say," Jake quipped.

"You need to eat something. Rocky should be here in about fifteen minutes."

"Let's see what you've got," Jake said to Ralu, pointing to the basket sitting on the steps.

[xxxxx]

"Thanks for helping me," Rocky told Gary when they finished loading Karen's body into the cargo hold of the Samson. "I was going to ask Buck, but he looked pretty tuckered out after that last link. Can't blame him, it's been one hell of a twenty four hours."

"Not a problem. This will be hard on all of us. I hope Norm will get some measure of comfort from having her body buried next to Grace, and Jake's human body."

"I think he will. Of all the avatar drivers, Norm is the closest to the Na'vi. This will mean a lot to him."

"Since you are going to have to make several more daily runs to refuel the pump I think it would be best if two avatars flew with you on each trip. If something takes an interest in the Samson they might be able to scare it off with the door guns."

"I was thinking about that myself," Rocky added, as he rubbed his chin.

"Norm and Jake can pitch hit today," Gary began. "I'll have Kyle and Judy ride back with you. After that we'll work out a schedule. I don't think it's smart for you to fly alone."

"Be a relief to me."

"Call me when you have Jake and the others onboard and are ready to takeoff."

"Roger that. Thanks again."

Gary waited until the Samson's rotors were spinning before he headed to the Ops Center. It was easier to see what was going on from there than it was from the bio lab.

[xxxxx]

"Looks like our ride's here," Jake said as the Samson arrowed in for a landing.

Once the wash from the rotors eased off, Jake and Norm led Neytiri and Ralu to the Samson. As Jake neared the pilot side door, Rocky opened it and motioned Jake to come closer.

"Appreciate it if you and Norm would be ready to use the door guns if necessary," Rocky began. "Karen's body is stored in the cargo hold. Gary and I placed her in a body bag thinking that might make it easier for Norm."

"We'll keep a lookout for anything that looks like it wants to take a bite out of us," Jake answered. "Just as soon as were strapped in I'll let you know."

When Jake turned his attention back to Neytiri he found her strapping herself into the harness on the forward bulkhead. Ralu was strapped in next to her on the opposite side of the Samson. Norm was buckling in at the door gun station. Giving a quick glance around Jake climbed in and buckled up. Signaling Rocky that they were ready he leaned back and locked eyes with Neytiri.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"We will be landing in five minutes." Rocky announced over the intercom. He knew the announcement was unnecessary as Jake and Neytiri would have known the area better than he did. He was quite sure they flew here regularly. It was ingrained in his routine to let those onboard know when they would be landing.

Neytiri had said very little during the flight, while Ralu chatted continuously at Norm. The roar of the rotors made normal conversation almost impossible without using the headgear. Jake wondered what Neytiri was thinking. He was pretty sure it had to do with having a child. He couldn't read what she was feeling on her face. The one thing he hoped was that she wouldn't constantly be obsessed with all the things that might go wrong. The last twenty-four hours had been rougher—mentally and physically—on her than it had been for him. If he had to take it easy, he hoped to convince her to do the same. That would give them an opportunity to continue the discussion they had begun late last night.

Jake saw Kyle and Judy standing next to the pump as Rocky hovered the Samson just before landing smoothly. As soon as Rocky cut power to the rotors, Kyle started dragging the refueling hose towards the Samson.

"How long will it take to refuel the pump?" Jake asked Kyle after he and Neytiri had jumped out.

"About an hour, maybe less."

"How much has the water level dropped?"

"Go see for yourself. Our original estimates of three days look to be on target."

"We'll do that," Jake answered as he looked up to see where Neytiri had gone.

Not far he noted when he saw that she and Norm were talking with Rocky by the door of the cargo hold. Ralu was standing between them, uncharacteristically quiet. He was quite sure she sensed the burden that Norm and Neytiri carried. Late in the night, she had confided in him the guilt she felt over Karen's death at the hands of some of their people. When he had told her about feeling that same guilt, but a hundred times stronger she knew that he understood her.

"I will send for someone to fetch a litter," Jake overheard her tell Norm when he walked over to where they were standing. "I'm sure mother has made the necessary arrangements. Once I've had a chance to talk with her I'll let you know what they are."

"Thank you Neytiri," Norm replied. When he unexpectedly pulled Neytiri against him and hugged her, she didn't resist.

After returning the embrace she placed her hand—in a gesture of comfort—on his shoulder. "I'll be back as quick as I can. Ralu, why don't you come with me?" she added turning her attention to her daughter.

Jake saw Ralu stiffen and expected her to argue. When she simply placed her hand in Neytiri's and walked off with her, he was mildly surprised.

"This means a lot to me," Norm told him for the third or fourth time after Rocky had returned to the cockpit. Figuring Norm was under a lot of stress, Jake didn't mention it.

"I know it does. It means a lot to Neytiri and me as well. I try not to think about the fact that my human body is buried somewhere nearby as well. It's just a bit on the weird side."

"I'm sure it must be. Jake…I'd like to ask you a favor."

"Sure, go ahead."

"If something happens to me, human or avatar, would try to see to it that I get buried next to Karen. Knowing that would give me some peace of mind."

"I'll make every effort to make sure that happens. But I'd just as soon not have to fulfill that promise for many, many years."

"Same here. I've told you before I was an only child. I always wanted a brother. I'd be honored if you would be my brother. It's how I think of you most of the time."

For several seconds Jake was rendered speechless by Norm's outpouring of his feelings for him. "You are my brother, in spirit, in every possible way. We both bled to help free the Na'vi from the RDA. I don't see how we could be anything but brothers to each other after what we have been through."

This time it was Norm who was speechless. "Thanks…brother."

"You're welcome, brother."

"If this didn't mean so much to me I'd think we were starting to get maudlin."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Let's go see what the water level looks like."

"Lead the way." Norm replied.

[xxxxx]

Neytiri found her mother seated with a group of elders in the gathering area. All conversation stopped when she and Ralu walked up to the group.

"Jake is going to live. His wound is healing very quickly. The Sky People used some medicine of their making that has made the healing quicker. He returned with us to finish healing here, among his people. Right now he is with the other Sky People to see what progress has been made in draining the Well of Souls."

"Are you hungry?" Mo'at asked.

"No, we ate before we left the Sky People's home."

"Let's walk," Mo'at said after she rose and excused herself from the others.

"How are our people dealing with all that has happened since the Sky People came to help us?" Neytiri asked as the three of them began walking back towards the Well of Souls.

"Most are very hopeful that the Mother Tree will be saved. Some are not so sure. If anyone is against accepting the Sky People's help they are keeping it to themselves. Everyone here is feeling great sorrow and shame for what happened to Jake and the sky woman. The attack was cowardly, not the way of our people. Those who escaped into the forest will never be allowed to return."

"Do we know how many attacked us?"

"Eight that were killed. Six others that escaped."

"Blind hatred poisons the heart so that the eye does not see."

"Exactly," Mo'at confirmed.

"We need to start building a new home as quickly as possible. Our people need to have work that will focus on the future, not the past."

"On that we are in complete agreement. The question is, where do we build our new home."

"If the Sky People agree, I would like to go back to the trees that we visited before the storm. I would like you to come with us. To see for yourself if they would make a good home for our people. As I told you before, Ralu sensed something bad happened there a long time ago. I would like to see if you can sense what she was feeling."

"The only way I can describe what I felt was that it left me feeling cold and uneasy," Ralu added when Mo'at looked at her. "A shiver that came and was quickly gone."

"There have been a few stories of terrible tragedies befalling some of the Na'vi tribes near the times of the first songs," Mo'at began. "Most are like the mist, impossible to see through. Meanings are very difficult understand."

"I have never heard such stories," Neytiri said, wondering why she had not.

"They are not for the young. Elders pass them on to other elders so that they are not lost to us. Even the oldest and wisest cannot agree on their true meaning."

"Do they apply to what Ralu felt?"

"It is impossible to know. I only mention them because they tell of sad times that happened long ago. There may be a connection, and there may not be. Such is the nature of these things."

"Will you go with us if I can get the Sky People to take us there today?" Neytiri asked, getting back to the main point of the conversation.

"Yes. We should decide quickly if this place is suitable as a new home for our people. If it is, we can prepare to move. If it is not, then we must keep searching for a suitable new home tree."

When they crested the ring around the Well of Souls, Neytiri's heart felt lighter than it had in many days. The water level had dropped to the point where most of the Mother Tree was above the water line. A few of her tendrils still touched the water here and there, but nothing like it had been the day before. She spotted Jake and Norm talking with Judy part way down the incline, near the water's edge.

"Oh, mother. I can hardly believe the change from yesterday." The sight was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Caught up in her emotions she didn't resist when Ralu let go of her hand and raced down the incline to stand between Jake and Norm.

"It is a wonderful sight," Mo'at confirmed. The sky woman named Judy told me they expect to have all the water removed in two more days."

"I hope that this will start to build trust between our people and the Sky People that remained here. Perhaps this is Eywa's way of bringing us together for some purpose."

"You may be right. We will have to wait and see." Mo'at replied. "I see that Ralu is still very much taken with Norm."

"Yes she is. I'm a little worried that she might be a little possessive of him. It could be from everything that has happened and there is nothing to worry about. Norm adores her. She makes him feel happy when she is around him. Something that he needs now. Have you decided on the place where we will bury Karen's body?"

"Yes, I found a suitable place not far from where Grace and Jake's human body are buried. It will allow her to be close to Eywa."

"That is good. I will tell Norm so that we can see to her as soon as he is ready."

"I will wait for you at the place where we buried Grace."

Surprising both of them, Neytiri gave her mother a quick hug. Something she rarely did anymore. Following Ralu's path down the incline she quickly informed Norm and Jake of the plans for burying Karen's body.

[xxxxx]

When the not so tiny procession arrived at the place where Karen's body was to be buried, Norm looked around at all of the people who had followed. The site of so many clan members who had come to be part of Karen's burial lightened some of the heaviness in his heart. He had walked behind the two litter bearers; Ralu's hand firmly held in own. Jake and Neytiri along with Kyle and Judy were directly behind him. He had expected a few of the Omatikaya to come, but nothing like the number that actually came.

The two men who were carrying Karen's body stopped when they reached where Mo'at was standing. Setting the stretcher on the ground they stepped back as Kyle and Judy came forward to place Karen's body in her grave. Earlier Kyle had told Norm that he and Judy had arranged with Mo'at to be the ones to handle her body once it reached the gravesite. When Neytiri and Jake moved up to stand beside him, Neytiri took his free hand in hers.

Mo'at nodded at Kyle and Judy, Judy removed Karen's body from the black bag and passed it to Kyle who was standing in the grave. Once Kyle finished arranging Karen on a bed of fresh flowers so that she looked like a peacefully sleeping child, he climbed out to stand beside Judy.

Several wood sprites floated silently into the grave to dance their way over Karen's body. When all but one rose out of the grave Mo'at began to speak.

"Here us great mother. Take this woman's spirit so that she will be one with you for all time. Even though she was not from here, one of yours, she was kind and loving. She felt our pain and did as much as she could to help us. She, like so many of us, has died before her life was full. I am told that she had a large heart, just as Grace had a large heart for our people. Care and nourish her spirit so that it will be with us always."

Norm could feel the tears running down his cheeks but didn't let go of either Ralu or Neytiri. He knew that contact was what was holding him together. When the _Omatikaya_ began to sing, he felt Jakes hands on his shoulders. Cocooned by love and friendship he let the words of the song wash over him, through him as he thought of all the things Karen had meant to him, been to him. Images of her smiling, scowling, laughing, crying, they filled his mind in a jumbled collage. He knew they would be with him for all of his life, just as he knew they were burying a large part of his heart with her today.

When the song ended he let go of Ralu and Neytiri's hands and stepped closer. "I loved you more than you knew," he began; his voice soft but mostly steady. "Or maybe not, as you seemed to know everything I was thinking, everything I was feeling. I'm sorry I didn't tell you more often just how much I loved you, how much you meant to me. You were the best part of my life. I will never forget you, never stop loving you. Eywa will keep you and comfort you until we are together again."

Norm turned to address all who had come. "I want to thank each of you for being here," he began, in fluent Na'vi. "Grace taught me to love the forest, the life in it, and all the people on Pandora. When she died I was able to accept that she was with Eywa and not lost to me, to all that knew her. Knowing that Karen is with Eywa and that I may be allowed to join her when my life is over brings me peace. It will sustain me through all the days of my life. Thank you again for coming."

"Mother will see to it that the grave is properly closed," Neytiri told Norm as people began to leave.

"Try to remember how she lived, not how she died. Remember her spirit. That is what I try to do with my father."

"Does it work?"

"Not always, but it gets easier with time."

"Thanks Neytiri. I wouldn't have gotten through this without you and Jake, and Ralu. Everyone else who helped in one way or another."

"Try to remember that you are not alone. Both here among the _Omatikaya_, as well as the Sky People."

"I'll try to do that."

"I have asked if Rocky could fly us, and mother, back to the trees we were shown the day the ground shook. After Rocky talked with Gary it was agreed that he would take us there today. Once mother is ready we will leave. I think you should come with us."

"Yes, I would like to. The more I keep busy the easier it will be for me."

"Kyle and Judy are going with us," Jake added. "We should be ready to leave within the hour."

"I'll be ready. I would like to spend some time alone with Karen if you don't mind."

"Take what time you need," Neytiri replied.


	11. Chapter 10

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Chapter 10**

"I hope Ralu didn't chatter the entire way," Neytiri said to Jake as he helped Mo'at out of the Samson. "I'm sure she enjoyed riding up front next to Rocky."

"Since Rocky doesn't understand much Na'vi, I'm sure whatever she said just sailed in one ear and out the other. Besides with his headset in place he wouldn't have heard her anyway."

"I'm not sure I understood what you just said, except the part about the headset being in place."

"Sorry. I try to remember not to use expressions that don't have any meaning for you. Sometimes they just pop out before I think what I'm saying."

When Norm and Ralu walked hand in hand around the front of the Samson to where Neytiri was standing with her mother and Jake, a flicker of concern raced through Neytiri's mind.

"Ralu, why don't you and mother have a look around? See if you can sense anything, separately or together."

"Norm isn't going to run off," she added when Ralu seemed reluctant to let go of his hand.

"Your mother's right," Norm added, looking down at Ralu. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be around here somewhere when you get back. Be a good girl and go with Mo'at."

Ralu's departure with Mo'at was anything but gracious.

"Did I say something wrong?" Norm asked Neytiri after he had noticed the combination of hurt and anger in Ralu's eyes.

"No, and yes. Ralu has become quite possessive of you. Let me ask you this. How do you think of Ralu?"

"I don't know exactly. She is very special to me, almost like a daughter would be," he answered looking a little bewildered. "I guess I mostly think of her as my brother's daughter. A special niece would be a close description. Honorary, of course. But that's the best answer I can give you. Why do you ask?"

"That is what I would have guessed." Neytiri paused, wondering how Norm would react to her next statement. "Unless I'm wrong, I think Ralu sees you as much more than an uncle. If she were thirteen or fourteen I would be seriously worried about her instead of mildly concerned."

"No, that's just ridiculous," Norm stammered after the implication of Neytiri's statement penetrated into his brain. "Sure I can feel her love for me, but it's a child's love for an adult, a close family member. Just as I love her as I would if she were my own flesh and blood."

"Neytiri, aren't you reading more into Ralu's feelings for Norm than actually exists?" Jake asked.

"Possibly, but I don't think so."

"So she thinks of me as what? Her…boy…friend," Norm added in English as he choked over the idea and completely forgot his Na'vi.

"Something like that. Right now, I think she sees you as someone she respects and loves. She seems to have this great need to nurture, you especially. I would not be surprised if she figures that after she comes of age you will be her life mate."

"I need to sit down," Norm responded, and did so abruptly, with very little grace. "This is too bizarre. I can't be her life mate. She is only six. I'm thirty-three." He almost added that the idea was obscene but kept that thought to himself as he didn't want to insult Neytiri or Jake.

"In twelve years, she will be eighteen. Just a year younger than I am now. You will still be a man in his best years. She will see only that, not the difference in years between you."

"I'll be forty-five. Half my live will be over. Hers will be just beginning."

"From what Jake has told me, your Na'vi body is basically the same age as Ralu's—"

"You're suggesting that this is okay?" Norm interrupted, his question ending in a shocked squeak.

"No I'm not. I just want you to be aware of what might be going on in her head. I'm sure you have noticed that she seems very mature for her age. She acts and thinks more like someone twice her age."

"Yes, I have noticed. I guess I attributed it to her being special because of everything she has had to deal with. Children that deal with horrific trauma at young ages sometimes grow up very quickly. I also figured some of her—advanced wisdom, let's say—came from her gift of sight and her ability to link emotionally with those who are suffering, as I was. There is no denying that she acts older than her age. I guess that could lead her to think differently about me."

"I agree with you that her gift of seeing the future has a lot to do with how she sees the world around her," Neytiri added. "Also there have been times when children who bonded with Eywa at a young age have been changed by the contact. Their young, impressionable minds can easily absorb too much of the wisdom and vast knowledge that Eywa possesses. This is why children under the age of twelve are discouraged from bonding with Eywa at the Mother Tree."

"Is that where the effect is the strongest?" Norm asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, very much so."

"Do you know how many times she has actually bonded with Eywa?"

"No, but the last time was at the ceremony where Jake passed through Eywa's eye and returned."

"Would it be reasonable to assume that bonding with Eywa while everyone was connected to help Jake would have the strongest effect on a young child?"

"I see what you are getting at, but I don't think that would be the reason for all of Ralu's wisdom."

"You weren't bonded that night. Neither was I," Norm speculated. "It's possible there was a surge in Eywa's presence when Jake's spirit entered his Na'vi body. A kind of bust of consciousness. If Ralu already had her gift of empathy she could have been greatly affected by any pain Jake was experiencing from the passage he was undertaking."

"I can tell you that I did go through several periods of acute mental stress that seemed to be physically real," Jake added. "As I told you before, it's not something anyone would want to experience a second time."

"You believe that because Ralu was bonded when Jake was passing through the Eye of Eywa her mind was affected much more that it should have been?"

"Neytiri, it's a possibility," he answered. "Does anyone know what she was like before the ceremony?"

"I will ask her aunt and uncle. She was only with them a short time so they may not have noticed any changes in her behavior."

"Jake, do you remember seeing Ralu in your mind while you were passing through Eywa?" he asked.

"Not that I remember. The first time I saw her—in the flesh—was later that same evening. Mostly what I remember about our first meeting was how right it felt for her to be sitting in my lap. As if she had always belonged there."

"It would seem that she was quickly drawn to both of us," Norm added. "It's possible there is something about our avatar brains that allowed her to make a fast and strong bond with us. Normally a child, or any person for that matter, would be withdrawn, cautious with their feelings after losing both of their parents. Bonding with a stranger, two in this case, would be out of character. We may never know exactly what triggered this change in her. For all we really know, she could have always been advanced beyond her years. If it's okay with the both of you, I would like to talk with her about this. If you would rather I wouldn't, then one of you needs to talk with her."

"Mother may sense something when she and Ralu are together. If not, I don't have a problem with you talking with her. I plan to talk with her when we get a quiet moment to be alone."

"I'll leave it to you," Norm said as he got to his feet. "It's probably the best way to start."

[xxxxx]

When Jake and Neytiri went to find Mo'at and Ralu, Norm just watched them walk away. He had enough problems to deal with. Now he had one more, and it just might be the most difficult of all to deal with. Walking away from the Samson, where Kyle and Judy were chatting with Rocky, he made his way over to the riverbank and sat down on a smooth rock that seemed perfect for just watching the river flow by.

Had he done anything to encourage Ralu to think there was something more than an adult-child relationship between them? As he thought back over all of the time they had spent together, nothing inappropriate stood out in his mind. True, she was a great pleasure to have around, to talk with, and play with. But that had always been completely normal. Her level-headedness when she had patched him up after being stabbed had surprised him. Some people were just naturally cool in times of crisis. He had attributed that quality to her.

When they were horsing around in the water in the Well of Souls everything had seemed perfectly natural. Maybe at times like those he thought of her as a daughter, more than an honorary niece, but that didn't equate to Ralu thinking of him as her future life mate. He would have dismissed the whole idea as a figment of Neytiri's over-active imagination except for the nagging sensation in the back of his mind that something was just a little off.

Most of the first hours after Karen had been killed were a blessed blur in his mind. If he concentrated, he could recall fuzzy images of Ralu being close to him during that time. Nothing specific, just a feeling that she was close by. His first clear image of her was when he awoke in the avatar hut. She and Gary were standing very close, almost hovering over him. He knew it was true that when she was near him, holding onto his hand, that the pain of Karen's death was much easier to deal with. Having empathic abilities would account for that, he was quite sure.

But still, now that he was thinking about it, there was some other force at work here. Grace had taught him about the global network of energy that was the essence of Eywa, or Pandora. The 'Great Mother' that protected the balance of all life. His first day in the forest she had showed him how quickly trees could communicate with each other. They had speculated that Pandora was one large, fully interconnected neural-information network that allowed all living entities to communicate with each other in near real-time. It was a planet-wide data bank for storing vast amounts of information. Trees, plants and other flora were always connected through their system of roots. Animals had to connect in other ways.

Obviously, the Na'vi were at the top of the food chain, intellectually speaking. Their ability to control animals of lower intelligence was an extension of the planet-wide network. 'Control', the word stuck in his mind. There had been some basic research done a decade ago, when Na'vi-human relations were significantly better, about how the Na'vi were able to control direhorses and banshees through the neural fibers in their queues. The image of Jake's human body lying next to his avatar on the dais—as neural tendrils rose up from the Mother Tree's roots to attach themselves to Jake's spinal cord—suddenly popped into his head.

Having been too emotionally involved at the time to give the actual process of passing through the 'Eye of Eywa' much thought, the sheer magnitude of what was involved to move Jake's mind—spirit, soul, whatever one chose to call it—from one body to another suddenly blossomed in Norm's mind. This transfer of consciousness required a degree of sophistication and control that was several orders of magnitude beyond anything human cloning science could accomplish. If Eywa could move the essence of a person—essentially his or her thought processes and memories—into a body through its neural link, what else could she do to any organism linked with her?

Neytiri's comment about not letting young Na'vi link with Eywa, because they could absorb too much, caused his thoughts to veer off in another direction. 'Just exactly what takes place when the Na'vi are linked with Eywa at the Mother Tree?' Before, he would have answered that the Na'vi seemed to provide Eywa with the energy she needed to perform some task. Much like recharging a storage cell. He still felt that the Na'vi provided Eywa with energy, but just how much 'control' did Eywa have or exert over the Na'vi while connected?

"Is this discussion private, or can anyone join in?" Kyle asked; jolting Norm out of his intense self-debate that wasn't as 'internal' as he thought.

"The more the merrier," Norm replied when he looked up to see Judy and Kyle standing a few feet away.

"When I looked over here, it looked as though you were genuinely disturbed about something," Judy began. "I was starting to worry a little, so I dragged Kyle with me to see if we could help lighten your mood. Once we got close enough, I realized that it wasn't Karen's death that was bothering you. At least, it wasn't the only thing bothering you."

"What is it about Eywa that has you so concerned?" Kyle asked as he and Judy sat down across from him.

"Some things Neytiri said about Ralu got me to thinking about Eywa," Norm began. "I guess the crux of the issue comes down to exactly how much influence and control does Eywa have over the Na'vi and other organisms on Pandora. Can she dictate their physical actions to some extent? It's obvious from our observations that the Na'vi seem to have free-will just as humans do. I'm not suggesting that Eywa could tell one Na'vi to kill another—"

"That thought is just a little creepy," Judy interrupted.

"She may be able to direct the actions of lower, less intelligent life forms just as the Na'vi do." Norm continued. "I was thinking more along the lines of mental control, persuasion. Can she affect someone's personality? Can she shape their personality to some extent?"

"What does this have to do with Ralu?" Kyle asked after he had picked up a flat stone and skipped it across the quiet river waters.

"I'm not sure. It could be nothing. On the other hand it could be very disturbing. I'm sure you have noticed that Ralu acts older that her age?"

"Yes. It would be pretty hard to miss." Judy replied. "What does that have to do with Eywa?"

"Neytiri thinks that Ralu sees me as more than just one of the adults. She is concerned that Ralu may see me as her life-mate once she has grown up herself."

"That's a bit far-fetched, isn't it?" Kyle asked, his obvious skepticism coming through in his voice.

"On the surface, I'm inclined to agree with you," Norm responded. "But it got me thinking. I will admit that she acts and thinks more like a child of twelve than one of six. Is it possible that by bonding with Eywa she has had her personality altered?"

"I didn't think Na'vi children were permitted to bond," Judy added.

"Normally they aren't. From what I understand, Ralu did this without anyone's knowledge or permission. How many times she has bonded only she knows for sure. The last time was the night Jake traveled through the 'Eye of Eywa'. The energy flowing through Eywa with about two hundred Na'vi bonded to her was incredible. You wouldn't believe it unless you saw it for yourself."

"You think Eywa has changed Ralu's personality, her level of intelligence?" Kyle suggested.

"I think it's a possibility. Neither of you two has bonded with anything but each other. Right?"

"Yes, that's right." Judy confirmed.

"I have never bonded either." Norm added thoughtfully. "I think I am going to have to do that if the chance presents itself."

"If your right about Eywa being able to program the mind of anything that bonds with her, aren't you taking a risk that she'll change you in some way?" Kyle asked.

"Yes, that's a possibility that needs to be considered. This whole business needs a great deal more investigation. We have never really studied Eywa formally. What she is and what she can do. Maybe it's time we did so."

"You need to get Buck and Abby in on this," Judy suggested. "He's the AI expert and her knowledge of molecular biology might provide some added insight. Were just your everyday archaeologist and anthropologist. I'm not sure how much help we will be in deciphering how Eywa works."

"It's going to take all of our efforts to solve this. In essence we're asking how Pandora works as a single entity composed of all her parts. No small task."

"Look on the bright side. We aren't going anywhere, so we have the rest of our lives." Kyle added.

"Norm, you may be taking this whole situation with Ralu far too seriously," Judy commented as she continued to watch him closely. "For arguments sake, let's say Neytiri is right. That Ralu does see you as her future life mate once she is old enough. You have at least twelve years before you have to decide what to do about it. By that time we could all be dead ten times over."

"Yeah, you sure got that right. Depressing, but right," Norm replied. "So are you saying I should just ignore what she might be thinking, planning?"

"Yes, to some degree. Has Ralu ever done anything to make you uncomfortable—either physically or emotionally? Has her behavior ever been inappropriate for a girl of her age?"

"No. On the contrary, she has done so many things to make me feel comfortable, normal."

"How do you feel about her? What does she mean to you?" Judy studied his face carefully as he answered.

"She makes me feel closer to the Na'vi, part of them in a way that's hard to describe. She is the daughter I will never have. I love her as any father would. She has done so much for me, I sometimes feel guilty for not having helped her in her time of need. It can't be easy dealing with the loss of your birth parents."

"I think you have done far more than you know for Ralu. Every time I see you together she has a smile on her face. You comfort her just by being there, doing things with her. When I was watching the two of you playing around in the water yesterday morning, I could feel the natural bond between you. It made me just a little envious."

"It did?"

"I have always been fond of children." Judy sighed. "It is one of the things that I miss the most. I think not having children around makes us hard, on the inside."

"There are many orphaned children that need parents to look after them. You should speak with Mo'at about adopting one of them."

"That's a nice idea, but not a very practical one. Children need full time parents. Being around only part of the time wouldn't be fair to them."

"You're right. Sometimes it's easy to forget that being an avatar isn't the same as being a Na'vi."

"I think we are just beginning to understand that," Judy added as she looked over at Kyle.

"You could be something of a big brother or sister for some of the orphaned children. That would not only help them, but it would further the trust that seems to be growing between us and the _Omatikaya_."

"That has some possibilities. Last night when we were making sure the pump kept operating we had a chance to spend time with some of the children. Most seemed quite interested in seeing what we were. Ell'a'u had to do a lot of translating, but I felt we got to know some of the children."

"I definitely feel we should look into this," Norm began as he rose to his feet. "That being said, we should go and find out what Mo'at thinks of this place as a home site. See if she picked up the same negative feelings Ralu did."

"Works for us," Kyle answered as he rose and held out a helping hand for Judy.

When Kyle and Judy picked up their Hydra door guns, Norm was instantly reminded that twelve years was a long way off. Especially for someone who had been here for just over one hundred days. Shoving any future problems that Ralu might bring to the back of his mind, he set off to find Mo'at.

[xxxxx]

"What is it, mother?" Neytiri asked after they had inspected the first four trees.

"I sense sadness about this place. It is very weak, nothing more than a whisper of the wind on your skin. I do not feel that some form of evil is the cause of this sadness. It is possible the sadness is coming from the trees. A feeling of loneliness because there are no people living in them."

"Ralu, if you do not agree, please say so," Neytiri encouraged her daughter. "You and mother will see things differently, each with your own eyes. Each of you will sense what was here with feelings that are unique to each of you."

"I too sense the sadness," Ralu began. "But I also sense that the sadness is mixed with pain, with suffering. Both feelings are very, very weak. Much of the time I feel nothing but the loneliness your mother spoke of. I think this was a happy place before it became sad, and now it is just lonely."

"I think that whatever happened here, happened a long time ago," Mo'at added thoughtfully as she gazed around the wide clearing, approving of what she saw. "The signs that people once lived here are almost completely lost. These trees will make a good home for the _Omatikaya_. Once we make this our home, the voices of sadness will fade, replaced by the sounds of living."

Neytiri was just about to verify that her mother felt comfortable enough with the trees to make them their new home when Norm walked over to where they were standing. Kyle and Judy were a few paces behind him.

"How's it going?" Norm asked. He noticed that Ralu seemed to still be a little moody. She barely smiled at him.

"So far everything looks very promising," Neytiri answered. "We have only two more trees to look at. If they look as good as the first four, we may have found our new home."

"Is it okay if we join you?" Norm asked.

"Of course. It would be good for you to see how we look at a tree to see if it will make a suitable home for our people."

"Do you have any idea how long it has been since people lived here?" Norm asked, trying to set the stage so that Judy's archeological skills could be put to use.

"Both mother and Ralu feel that it was a very long time ago. We have no way of knowing for certain."

"Actually there may be a way to do just that. Before Judy came to Pandora, she worked at determining the age of settlements of people who lived long before us. A settlement is a place where earth people live. Hometree for example."

"How can she do this if there is no one to talk to who lived here? Or any of their ancestors." Neytiri asked.

"By digging for things left behind by those that once lived there. Arrowheads, cooking pots, tools, bones; those kinds of things. With special devices we can tell how long these things have been in the ground. It's not exact, but it will give you a good idea of how many generations have passed since people lived here. Talk with Judy and Kyle about it if you're interested."

"I'll do that. It might help to put Ralu's mind at ease. She fears that something bad happened here. She is feeling more that she's telling us. She might be uncomfortable as mother does not share her feelings. Mother can be a little intimidating."

"Let me talk to her," Norm said, as he glanced ahead to where Ralu was standing next to the tree they were walking towards.

"Alright. She may be more open with you."

"Jake, you doing okay?" Norm asked. He didn't think Jake looked as well as he claimed to be, but he didn't say so. He didn't want to worry Neytiri unnecessarily.

"Yeah, I'm okay. That arrow slowed me down more than I thought it would."

"It's a small miracle, and a testament to Max's ability, that you are up walking today, at all."

"True. Don't worry. I'm not going to overdo it. Neytiri will make sure of that."

"Yes, she will," Neytiri added as she rubbed her hand affectionately over Jake's back.

Norm picked up his pace so that he would reach Ralu well ahead of the others. "Are you still mad at me?" he asked when he reached her.

At first she did not reply. Giving her time to decide, he looked around the far end of the clearing, past the two trees that had yet to be inspected.

"Why did you treat me like a child?" she finally asked, the hurt she felt plainly audible.

'Oh boy,' Norm thought to himself. Did he tell her to stop acting like a child—and a spoiled one at that—or was he dealing with an older, more sensitive personality that quite frankly scared him a little bit. Mostly because he didn't know how to deal with it.

"I did not mean to hurt your feelings. After all that you have done for me I would never intentionally do that." While he was talking they kept walking slowly towards the edge of the clearing. "Ralu, you still are a child. I don't say that to hurt you or to make you angry. You are only six. You have twelve more years before you will be fully grown up. I know that you are much wiser than most others who are six. You have the gift of sight, which can be very scary for anyone, no matter what their age. You also have the ability to help people deal with their pain and suffering. You don't fall apart in a crisis. These gifts require you to be more mature than your age. I suspect that Eywa may have helped you deal with these gifts by passing on to you the wisdom and maturity to handle them. She would not want you to be afraid of the gifts she has given you." Norm decided to add the reference to Eywa to see what Ralu feelings were when it came to Eywa.

"Did Eywa give them to me? I have always wondered where they came from."

"Honestly, I don't know if she gave them to you specifically, or you have them because of who you are. During the times that you were linked with Eywa, did you ever get a feeling that she was trying to help you use your gifts? Deal with the results of using them."

"My memories of being linked are not very clear. Images of what happened in the past, faces, sounds of people talking. It didn't seem to make a lot of sense to me."

"Did the experience ever frighten you?"

"No. Mostly I just felt very sleepy when it was over. After I slept I would wake up feeling very contented."

"When we have more time I would like to talk about your experiences with bonding if you don't mind?"

"No, I don't mind. I would like to talk about them. It might help me to understand them—"

"Hey! Is that a path?" Ralu asked, interrupting herself in mid-sentence.

"Sure looks like one to me. Jake, Neytiri! Over here!" Norm called out as he and Ralu stood at the entrance to a wide path that led into the forest.

"What is it?" Jake asked as he and Neytiri arrived, bows at the ready.

"Jake, put that bow away before you open up your wound," Kyle admonished as he and Judy came up to flank the small group, their Hydra's ready. "The only thing you're going to accomplish is shooting yourself in the foot, or me in the back."

"And don't bother snarling at me," Kyle added. "You know better."

"Sorry," Jake replied. "I hate feeling useless."

"You're not useless, or helpless, or anything less. You're recovering from a wound that almost killed you," Judy snapped. "Let the rest of us carry the damn burden for a while. We'll give it back to you soon enough."

"Thank you," Neytiri said to Judy. "He doesn't always listen to me."

"Does any man?" Judy asked rhetorically. When Neytiri grinned back at her, Judy knew that Na'vi males were just like human males. Something she strongly suspected as Kyle was the same, human or avatar.

"What's all the fuss about?" Kyle asked.

"The path," Ralu answered, pointing to the arched opening beneath the trees. "It must lead somewhere."

"This path has not been used in a very long time," Neytiri commented after she squatted down to get a better look at it. "At some point I think it was used quite often. The surface is very hard and smooth, as though many feet traveled this path."

"Should we see where it leads?" Jake asked.

"Yes, this could be important," Mo'at replied.

"I'll take the lead, "Kyle volunteered. "I won't fire unless I have to."

The path was wide enough for six people to walk side by side. As Kyle lead off, Jake and Neytiri flanked Mo'at, following several paces behind him. When Norm started off behind Jake, Ralu took his hand in hers when he held it out to her. Judy kept a sharp eye out behind them as she followed everyone else.

The sky was completely blocked by the thick canopy of trees that intertwined into an archway that rose twenty meters into the air. Only a small amount of light filtered through the treetops. Until their eyes adjusted it was like walking inside a dark, cold tunnel.

"It's starting to look brighter up ahead," Kyle called out after they had been walking for several minutes.

"This is kind of spooky," Norm whispered to Ralu.

"What does that mean?"

"Strange, just a little off."

When the path ended at a large circular opening whose canopy was a good fifty meters above their heads, everyone stopped to stare at what was directly in front of them. Sitting in the middle of the opening on a raised dais was a tree that looked identical to the Mother Tree in the Well of Souls.

"Is this what I think it is?" Jake asked when no one said anything for several seconds.

"It would appear that it is," Mo'at answered; a mixture of wonder and anxiety in her voice.

"I take it you thought your Mother Tree was the only one," Norm said as he looked back and forth between Neytiri and Mo'at.

"Yes, that is correct," Mo'at answered. "All of the Na'vi people journey to the Mother Tree at different times to worship in their own way. I do not recall anyone mentioning the existence of a second Mother Tree."

"Since there are obviously two, I suppose it would be logical to assume that there are possibly many more Mother Tree's on this continent as well as some of the others," Norm added. His mind immediately wondering how or if Eywa would be able to communicate between continents.

"From the light her tendrils are giving off, I would say this tree is alive and well," Judy remarked as she moved around to the right to get a better view.

"What do we do now?" Neytiri asked her mother, obviously shaken by the sight of a second Mother Tree.

"I wish I knew. This is most unexpected."

"This tree looks very much like the one in the Well of Souls," Norm began. "Except its root structure is entirely different. This tree has several long straight roots that merge with the surrounding forest. They seem to braid together with the roots of the trees that rim the perimeter, almost as if they are a single unit. In contrast, the root system at the Well of Souls is a random, wandering collection of crisscrossed roots of varying sizes. Also, there is no bowl, or well surrounding this tree. Here the ground slopes gently upwards from edge of this cavernous opening to the central dais."

"I count six radial roots," Judy added as she came back from walking part of the way around the perimeter and back again. "They look to be equally spaced at sixty degree intervals. It's hard to tell for sure with only the bioluminescent light."

"That's my take too," Kyle added from his perspective to the left of the opening into the chamber.

"I've never seen tree roots intertwined this tightly, or intricately," Norm said as he moved over to where one of the main roots intersected with the trees that formed the wall of the chamber.

"Mother, is it my eyes, or are the tendrils slightly different in color?" Neytiri asked.

"They appear to be. It's difficult to tell from here."

"Can you hear anything?" Jake asked. "I could swear that I hear the sound of a heart beating. It's very faint, but it's there."

"Yes, I can hear it," Ralu answered after everyone had stopped talking and moving about.

"You're right. I hear it too," Neytiri added.

"Have you ever heard anything like this at the Well of Souls?" Jake asked Neytiri.

"No, never."

"I need to get a closer look," Mo'at said as she started up the gentle incline towards the dais.

After a quick questioning glance at Jake, Neytiri followed her mother towards the dais. "The rest of you wait here," Jake ordered before following after Neytiri and Mo'at.

"Are you alright?" Norm asked Ralu when he sensed that she was becoming uneasy.

"Yes. I'm trying to understand the sensations that I feel here. Mostly I feel contentment, happiness. I'm worried because that's all I feel. It's as if this place is perfect, and that worries me as I have never felt anything like this before."

"Sounds to me like your cup is half empty instead of half full," Norm replied as he smiled down at her.

"What does that mean?"

"That you're looking for what's wrong instead of what's right. And before you ask what's wrong with that, I'll say, nothing. Probably best to be on the safe side."

"I wish I could bond with this tree," Ralu added. "I could get a much better sense of what's here."

"Curiosity killed the cat," Norm responded, giving her nose a quick squeeze.

"What's a cat?"

"It's an animal on the Sky People's home world. Comes in lots of different sizes. By nature cats are curious creatures, which sometimes gets them into big trouble. 'Curiosity killed the cat' is an expression that means, be careful sticking your nose into places that you don't know anything about."

"Other expressions being," Kyle began. "'Don't let the cat out of the bag', 'The cat that swallowed the canary', 'Tough titty said the kitty, but the milk tastes good'—"

"That should be enough colorful metaphors for the rest of the day," Judy added, abruptly interrupting Kyle before he added more of the endless trivia that he seemed to possess.

[xxxxx]

When Mo'at climbed up onto the dais, faint, continuous waves of bioluminescent light pulsed down the roots and into the surrounding trees. When Jake and Neytiri joined her, she saw that the tendrils were pulsating in rhythm with the roots. From this closer viewpoint she could see that the tendrils were six distinct colors. The colors were similar, but distinct.

"You were right, Neytiri," Jake said as he gazed about at the pulsating tendrils. "The colors are different. I wonder what that means."

"Six is a very significant number to the Na'vi," Mo'at began. "We have six moons in our sky. Six different seasons. Six phases of life."

"A lot of the animals on Pandora have six legs," Jake added. "You have six fingers, not counting your thumbs. I also don't think it's a coincidence that there are six trees suitable for living just a short distance from here."

"I agree with you," Mo'at replied. "The fact that there are six trees is significant."

"Yes, but how?" Neytiri asked.

"That remains to be seen my daughter."

When Mo'at reached for several of the tendrils and let them slide gently through her fingers, Jake held his breath waiting for something to happen. When nothing did, Mo'at bonded with one of the tendrils as she closed her eyes.

"There doesn't seem to be any danger," Neytiri whispered to Jake after a couple of minutes had passed without any noticeable effect on Mo'at.

"It would seem so," Jake replied as he let several of the tendrils slide smoothly through is fingers just as Mo'at had done.

"If I was not standing in this place, I would believe that I am bonded with our tree," Mo'at said when she opened her eyes. "The only difference is that this bond seems to be clearer, stronger."

"Should we attempt to bond?" Neytiri asked.

"Yes. I think that you should. Tell me if you feel anything different."

After a quick glance at Jake, Neytiri lifted her queue so that her neural fibers wound around the tendril she was holding with her other hand. Jake waited a couple of heartbeats and bonded as Neytiri had done.

For several seconds both felt the gentle backwash of feeling that was a normal part of bonding with Eywa. In perfect tandem, both gasped suddenly.

"Grace," Jake whispered in an awed voice.

"Yes, I feel her too," Neytiri added.

"I can hear her talking. It is something that she said to me one rainy afternoon in the remote control station. I can hear myself answering her. This is really weird."

"We are hearing her memories," Neytiri said as she looked at her mother for confirmation, which she received.

"She's gone," Jake added, obviously disappointed.

"Memories within Eywa are like that. Or at least our ability to hear them is," Neytiri remarked.

"I would like Ralu to bond with Eywa while we are bonded," Mo'at began. "I know that there are risks for someone her age. But she has bonded before, so this will not be the first time. Also we should be able sense if she is absorbing too much. We can break her bond if necessary. The decision is up to both of you."

"It would be better if we have her bond with us," Neytiri said after a brief pause. "She will find a way to bond with or without us."

"Then let's do it now," Jake agreed. He didn't add how much he thought mother and daughter were alike in doing just what they pleased.

"I will fetch her," Mo'at added as she broke he bond.

[xxxxx]

"Ralu, I would like you to bond with Eywa, if you feel up to it?" Mo'at asked when she reached where Ralu and Norm were standing.

"Yes, I would like that very much."

"With both of us bonded at the same time we may get a stronger sense of what you were feeling outside near the trees."

"I'm not sure if I will. In here, I don't sense any of the unsettling feelings that I picked up outside."

"Come, let us try."

[xxxxx]

"Are you sure you what to do this?" Neytiri asked when Ralu and Mo'at stepped up on the dais.

"Yes, mother. I want to do this."

Selecting a tendril after gliding her hands over several different colored tendrils Ralu bonded with Eywa after only a slight hesitation.

"I hear many voices," Ralu began. "Some seem familiar, but I cannot be sure who they were."

"What is it?" Neytiri asked in alarm when several tears spilled down Ralu's cheeks.

"I hear my parents. My mother is speaking with my father. It is late at night. They think that I am sleeping. She is telling him that she is going to have another baby. She has suspected it for some time, now she is sure."

For a few seconds Neytiri was unable to speak or move a single muscle. The grief that ripped through her was almost unbearable. The agony and bitterness at the wanton, heartless destruction of Hometree rose like bitter bile in the back of her throat. In the blink of an eye her agony turned into raging hatred that threatened to explode into physical violence.

Neytiri's sudden burst of raw negative emotion was absorbed by Eywa. Amplified many-fold, her emotion burst through Jake's, Ralu's and Mo'at's bonds in a single, blinding pulse, knocking all three off their feet. When the flash momentarily blinded Neytiri she screamed and stumbled backwards, breaking her bond at the same time.

"Holy shit! What the hell was that?" Jake asked as he jumped to his feet, wincing from the sharp pain in his chest.

"I don't know," Neytiri answered as she reached down with unsteady hands to help Ralu stand as Jake did likewise for Mo'at.

"Are you guys okay?" Norm demanded as he arrived at the dais at a dead run.

"I'll let you know in a minute," Jake replied as he helped steady Mo'at.

"Ralu, look at me," Neytiri demanded as she knelt down to check her over.

"I'm not hurt," Ralu replied as she searched her mother's face. For the briefest instant she had felt Neytiri's uncontrollable rage and hatred over the loss of her birth mother and unborn child. Saying nothing, she threw her arms around Neytiri's neck and held tight.

"That was most unexpected," Mo'at said as she looked intently at her daughter, having sensed what Ralu had. "In all the times that I have bonded with Eywa, nothing like this has every happened before. Are you alright Jake?"

"Yes. Except for the tingling in my hands and arms, I'm okay. Feels like someone punched me in the head, with a brick."

"The flash damn near blinded us, and we weren't even close," Norm added. "What ever caused it, the pulse shot down the main roots and into the trees along the perimeter. I could feel my skin tingle for a second or two afterward."

"I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I've had enough excitement for a while," Jake commented, looking around the dais at the tree, its tendrils gently pulsing.

"Yes, we should go now," Mo'at added; her voice not quite steady.

"We will need to talk about this," Neytiri told her mother after Ralu had deserted her for Norm.

"Yes, there is much to talk and think about."

[xxxxx]

"Jake, I need to check to see if the banshee with the broken wing is still nested in the top of the tree where we last saw her," Neytiri told him as they emerged from the passageway to the second Mother Tree.

"I'm going with you."

"No, you are not. Climbing to the top of a tree is not what Max would consider taking care of yourself, would he?" As much as she wanted Jake with her—mostly because of what had just happened inside—she did not want the wound in his chest to split open. "You should stay here with Ralu and Mother. They are both upset by what happened while we were all bonded with Eywa."

"I think we're all upset, and just a little freaked out by what ever happened in there. Since your mother has never heard of anyone being knocked down like that while they were bonded with Eywa, we have some serious questions that need answering."

"I'll take Judy with me. We will be able to climb twice as fast without you."

"You sure know how to hurt a guy's feelings."

"Better that than your body, or your head if you fell out of the tree. Don't worry. We'll be back as quick as we can."

As soon as Judy handed Norm the Hydra door gun she was carrying, the two women raced off to the tree where the injured banshee had last been seen.

"Is there anything else you would like to look at while we wait for Neytiri to return?" Jake asked Mo'at.

"I would like to walk along the riverbank. If fish are plentiful we should see some signs."

"Hadn't thought of that," Jake answered as he reached out to take the hand Ralu offered.

"Fish and other creatures that live in the rivers and lakes make a good balance to the meat of animals that live on land. Hometree had an abundance of both. It appears that this place may also have such abundance."

"Aren't you just a little concerned by what just happened while we were bonded with Eywa? Maybe Ralu's right. There is something wrong with this place." When Jake looked down at Ralu she gave him a weak smile, which he returned.

"I am concerned, but not frightened. I will discuss what happened with the other elders. Possibly one of them will remember hearing about something similar happening before." Mo'at stopped to look directly at Jake. "There is much about Eywa that we do not know, that we have no need to know. She is everything that is, and we are just a small part of her. We do not worry about what concerns Eywa, only what we need to know to live in harmony with all that she is."

"That is one of the basic differences between the Na'vi and humans," Jake began. "They are driven by a need to know all that there is to know and why it should be so. My brother was one of those who had to know. For him, knowledge, the search for meaning, was the strongest force in his life."

"We should speak of this again, when there is time," Mo'at commented as they reached the riverbank.

The group walked along the bank in silence as Mo'at gazed out over the river. Occasionally she would stop to throw a stone out over the water, watching the ripples spread out in circles. In several places the river turned sharply creating deep, dark pools near the edge. It was easy to spot the shape of fish darting around in those pools if you looked closely.

"This place will make a good new home for our people," Mo'at commented as they reached a point closest to where the Samson sat waiting. "There will be more than enough room for many, many generations to come."

Jake was just about to answer when he spotted Neytiri and Judy headed towards the Samson from the opposite direction. As Mo'at had seen them as well, they began walking towards the Samson.

"Did you find her?" Kyle asked when everyone converged on that Samson all at the same time.

"No. There was no sign of her," Judy answered.

"Other banshees or possibly Toruk may have gotten to her," Neytiri added. "It is for the best. It is most unlikely that the bone in her wing could have been healed—at least to the strength necessary for flying."

"We should return to our people to tell them what we have learned," Mo'at said into the silence that followed Neytiri's words. "As _Tashik_, I feel that this place will make a good home. As we do not have _Olo'eyktan_, it will be up to the Council of Elders to decide if we will make our home here in this place."

"It does look to be a perfect place," Neytiri added wistfully.

"Once we're in the air I'll have Rocky make a wide circle around the area so that we can get an idea of the surrounding terrain," Jake added as everyone began to climb aboard.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

Buck and Abby were standing at the edge of the Well of Souls, looking at the water which was almost half gone when the whine of the Samson's turbines reached their sensitive avatar ears. Turning away, they walked back to the pump to wait for Rocky to set the Samson down in his customary landing zone.

"I'll tell Judy about the meeting Gary wants to have," Abby said when she saw the Samson come into view. "She can tell Kyle and Norm as soon as she gets the chance."

"Gary told me that he and Max had a number of things that they wanted to talk over with all of us," Buck added. "He wouldn't tell me what they were. He said he wanted to tell everyone at once as there were likely to be a lot of questions. I started to press him for more, but he just put me off. Jesus, I hate that."

"Yes, I know you do. But he may have a point in wanting to tell everyone at once. That way no one feels they were told last."

"Hadn't thought about it that way. Good point."

As soon as the Samson touched down, everyone in the middle section jumped down. Mo'at and Neytiri headed in the direction of the gathering area while the others made their way over to where Buck and Abby were waiting.

"How'd it go?" Buck asked.

"Pretty good, for the most part," Judy answered. "The biggest surprise was finding a second Mother Tree."

"Really?" Abby exclaimed, her eyes widening.

"Yes, it is definitely another Mother Tree," Jake answered. "Totally different setting though. The one we discovered is completely surrounded, and covered by trees. It's almost like a huge cave, but formed from wood rather than rock."

"That's different," Buck added, glancing around at the stone arches.

"Another thing that's different," Jake began, "is that this Mother Tree's tendrils are slightly different in color from the one located here."

"Are the Omaticaya going to move there?" Abby asked.

"Mo'at and Neytiri went to organize a meeting for later today so that the clan could discuss our options," Jake responded. "Mo'at is in favor of moving there as soon as possible. Neytiri seems to feel the same way. It is a nice place, you've seen it yourselves. From the air we spotted two nearby lakes of decent size and several open areas that would be good for grazing animals. Food shouldn't be a problem, especially for such a small number of people."

"Speaking of meetings," Abby began, addressing Kyle, Judy and Norm. "Gary wants to have one tonight. Buck and I are going to ride back to the base with Rocky. He shouldn't fly alone. You need to be back by sundown if possible."

"If everything is quiet here, we will break our links as soon as we can," Kyle added. "Our human bodies need to get some exercise or they are going to wither down to nothing."

"Don't you two get enough 'exercise'?" Abby asked jokingly.

"I wasn't referring to that kind of exercise. It's been a while since we put in any serious time at the gym."

"What's a gym?" Ralu asked Norm quietly after shaking his hand to get his attention.

"A place to exercise our muscles," Norm answered, squatting down so that they were eye to eye. "Because our human bodies are lying still while our spirits are in these avatar bodies, they will get weak if we do not get enough exercise. You get lots of exercise just running around all day. Our human bodies need that kind of exercise as well."

"Will you come back when you are done using this gym?"

"I will be back, but it may not be until tomorrow," Norm answered as he looked into her inquiring eyes. "I don't have to go for a while yet. When I do go, I'll be back before you even have a chance to miss me."

"I am already missing you, just because I know you're going to be going away soon."

"Oh, come here," Norm sighed as he drew her against him, holding her close. "You know I can't stay in this body for as long as I would like. Maybe someday I will be allowed to become _Omatikaya_ as Jake has, then if Eywa permits me, I will always be among you."

"I hope that day comes soon," Ralu said softly as she hugged him fiercely.

Easing Ralu back, Norm kissed the top of her forehead before he stood up.

"We'll see you when you get back," Kyle said to Buck and Abby as they walked towards the Samson, its turbines still idling.

[xxxxx]

Within minutes the Samson had disappeared from view, the sound it left behind fading quickly.

"Judy and I will make a quick check that the pump is operating as it should, and then we will break our links," Kyle told Jake and Norm. "We'll park our avatars near the pump, just to keep them safe and out of the way."

"I'll see to it that they are watched over," Jake responded. "If I need to get in touch I'll use the sat-comm-link."

"Thanks," Judy replied. "I hope the meeting to discuss moving goes well."

"Yeah, me too." Jake replied as he remembered how the last clan meeting ended with Norm being stabbed. Hopefully this one would be much calmer.

Leaving Kyle and Judy, Jake and Norm, with Ralu between them, headed back towards the gathering area.

"Ralu, do you know what happened while we were linked at the other Mother Tree?" Jake asked as they walked.

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"I'm asking. That was the first time that I have actually bonded with Eywa since I woke up in this body. I had no idea what to expect, but I sure didn't expect to get knocked on my a…off my feet."

"That is something that has never happened to me either. Why that happened I do not know. To me it felt like my hand and arm were shaking by themselves. It hurt very much but only lasted a short time. Then I was sitting on my butt, not knowing how I got there."

"Yeah, that's what I felt too. I think it was some kind of electrical shock," Jake added, turning to Norm.

"A number of different animals have the capability of delivering an electric shock," Norm began. "Electricity can be generated from chemical reactions as well as friction or magnetic fields. Sometimes in large amounts. Our nervous systems, both human and Na'vi are electrical based. It is the same with Eywa and all that she connects to. From what you are telling me, and what I saw, I would guess that Eywa gave off a fairly large electro-chemical induced pulse. The intense wave of bioluminescent light traveling down the tree's trunks was probably triggered by such a pulse."

"In that case, I guess the question is; why did she shock us? Was it a form of punishment, a warning, or something else?"

"That thought is just a little scary," Norm added.

Ralu kept her thoughts as to what else she felt to herself. She didn't want to speak of them until she had talked with her mother. What she had felt from Neytiri had left her more than a little frightened.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Kyle and Judy are coming out," Zoe told Gary as she continued to scan the monitors of all the avatar drivers.

"I just finished talking with Rocky, he will be landing in about thirty minutes," Gary added as he glanced over to where Zoe was sitting.

"Did Rocky mention anything about when Norm will be coming out?"

"No he didn't. I would assume he won't be far behind Kyle and Judy."

Zoe got up and walked over to stand beside Judy's pod, checking the local monitor. "Welcome back," Zoe offered when Judy's pod was fully open, reaching down to help Judy to sit up.

"Thanks. We weren't gone all that long this time."

"Just shy of eight hours. You need to get up and move around."

"That's the plan," Judy added as she lowered herself to the floor. "Kyle and I are going to hit the gym for a couple of hours."

"Good idea. I might just do that myself once the other drivers are back."

"God, I feel stiff," Judy complained as she walked over to wait for Kyle by the main control console. "How's it going Gary?"

"All things considered, pretty good right at the moment. Rocky will be landing in thirty minutes."

"That's good. Kyle and I will be in the gym if you need us."

"We are all going to meet in the cafeteria at 18:00. Roger will have dinner ready so we can eat at the same time."

"We'll be there, with healthy appetites" Judy amended as she headed for the door of the bio lab where Kyle was standing, waiting for her.

"I wonder what they are going to have to say when they hear what Max has to tell them about the clone." Zoe asked.

"I don't have a clue. Hell, I'm not sure what I have to say and I've had the best part of a day to think about it."

"Boy, isn't that the truth."

[xxxxx]

"Is there anything we can help you with?" Buck asked Rocky once the Samson was safely inside the hanger deck and the outside door closed.

"If you could refuel this bird that would be a big help."

"Glad to."

"Does Rocky seem okay to you?" Abby asked when they went to pick up a refueling hose.

"I guess. He's always been on the moody side. Why?"

"I don't know. He just seemed more withdrawn than usual."

"That could come from spending the best part of the day waiting on a bunch of avatars and Na'vi. That's a lot of time to sit alone in the cockpit with nothing much to do."

"I suppose you're right," Judy agreed reluctantly.

"I'll pay more attention to him. See if I notice anything."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

"Let's get this bird fueled. For some reason, I'm missing being totally human today."

"I'll hook this end to the Samson and shout when it's ready for fueling."

[xxxxx]

"Abby and Buck are coming out," Zoe announced. Giving Norm's readings one last glance she walked over to wait for Abby to fully emerge from her link.

"That was a short trip," Abby commented when she stood, stretching in several different directions.

"Norm is the only one still linked," Zoe informed her. "Did he say when he would be coming out?"

"No, not that I remember."

"I'll just have to wait for him then," Zoe added. She had only been watching over the avatar drivers for a day. She didn't know how Karen had lived with the combination of stress and monotony.

"Where is everybody?" Buck asked when he walked over to stand at the end of Abby's pod.

"Scattered here and there. Gary went up to Sys Ops a little while ago. Max is in the prep room. Not sure where Susan and Ron are. Judy said she and Kyle were going to the gym."

"I could use something to eat," Buck announced. "Do you want anything Abby?"

"No, I'm fine. You go ahead."

"Did Judy say anything to you about what happened while they were out looking at the new home site?" Abby asked when Buck left the room.

"No. Why?"

"I'm not sure. I think something happened while they were there. At least that was Rocky's impression."

"She didn't mention anything to me," Zoe confirmed.

"I'll get it out of her later. If not her, Norm will tell me."

"I hope it wasn't anything traumatic. Norm has had enough to deal with."

"Whatever it was, Norm didn't appear to be visibly upset when they came back. It was Judy who seemed uncharacteristically quiet."

"She seemed normal when she came out of link. Whatever it was it must not have bothered her all that much."

"It's probably nothing. So what's the big secret Max and Gary have going that they are going to tell us when we all get together?" Abby added as she sided up to Zoe.

[xxxxx]

"It's about time," Zoe scolded Norm when the lid to his link pod opened. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to come out at all."

"What time is it?" Norm asked as he swung his feet over the edge of his pod.

"Five-thirty. You have thirty minutes to cleanup and make it to the cafeteria by six. Thanks to you I am going to have to forgo a shower. Something I could dearly use."

"You smell pretty good to me," Norm added, trying to charm Zoe out of her anger with him.

"A baboon would smell good to you. Go on, get out of here. I'll be right behind you."

"I'm sorry Zoe. I couldn't get away any sooner. Jake and his people are trying to decide if they should move to the trees we visited earlier today. I wanted to stick around to support Jake if he needed me to."

"I know, but we're still going to be late if you don't haul your skinny ass out of here."

"Who are you calling skinny, slim?" Norm smiled at the frustration shimming on Zoe's face. "I'm going," He added as he jumped down and headed for the door.

Heading straight for his room, Norm decided that he had just enough time, plus a real need, for a quick shower before he changed into clean clothes. At least he hoped there was something relatively clean to wear. Entering his room he checked the bedside clock. Twenty minutes would give him just enough time. Three minutes later he had managed to get his hands on a clean shirt, and pants that mostly didn't scream at the shirt. He wasn't too sure about the socks matching, so he didn't look at them too closely. He allotted eight minutes in shower, five to shave, and another five to reach the cafeteria. As he walked into same at six-o-one, he felt pretty pleased with himself, even if he was the last one to arrive.

[xxxxx]

"Now that everyone is settled, we can begin," Gary began when Norm and Zoe sat down with plates of food they had selected from the small feast Roger had prepared. "First off, I'll start by telling you that all of our systems are running properly. There have been no further breeches in our air supply. The section of the perimeter fence that was damaged during the earthquake might be repairable. At least enough to keep out some of the smaller wildlife. A more pressing problem is the steady encroachment of the forest towards the fence. At some point the forest will simply sweep the fence aside in its unrelenting advance to reclaim all the land that the RDA carved out for this base. We have several months before that becomes an immediate threat."

"The entire message we composed has been sent to Earth via the subliminal transmitter. As of yet we have not received any response. No doubt they are trying to make some sense of what it means. Doppler imaging from one of our orbital satellites has confirmed that the next ISV will arrive in 330 days. She is about a half light year away, and slowing down as she moves towards us. The ISV we sent on its way back to Earth has sent nothing further via subliminal. That may be one of the reasons Earth has not replied. I'm sure we will hear something before much longer."

"Zoe has been monitoring the data from the geo-packs. So far it appears that the subcontinents are maintaining their positions relative to each other. The Geo satellite has picked up some new volcanic activity in one of the larger southern continents about half way around Pandora. It is too early to tell if there will be any significant increase in the air's hydrogen sulfide content. Ash could become a problem if it builds up significantly. As I said, it's too early to tell much at this point."

"Gary, how big a threat is this?" Abby asked.

"Zoe, you can answer that better than I can."

"There are currently forty two volcanic sites on Pandora," Zoe began. "Most do little more that spit out a few puffs of gas or smoke from time to time. Six are what we would consider active in that there is a constant lava flow. Mixed with the outpouring of lava is a considerable volume of hydrogen sulfide and methane gas. Most of the methane is burned up almost immediately. Some mixes with the planet's atmosphere. This particular volcano, which we have labeled Zeus, is the largest and most active. If the volume of material, both solid and gaseous, being ejected continues for any length of time, or increases, we will see changes in weather patterns. If the percentage of hydrogen sulfide increases by more than one percent, a large portion of the animals on the planet could be wiped out."

"Would that include the Na'vi?" Kyle asked, just before Norm voiced the same question.

"In all likelihood, yes it would." Zoe answered somberly.

"At its present rate, how long before Pandora's air becomes unfit to breathe?" Buck asked in the silence that followed.

"My best guess would be between six and eight months. Before we panic I would like to add that Pandora may have ways of negating such a rise in HS content that we know nothing about. I mention this because Pandora is a highly evolved, integrated ecosystem that has existed for millions of years, and volcanoes have always been active here. I would assume there is some means of balancing this primal force of nature against the needs of living entities."

"So, for the time being all we can do is monitor?" Susan added.

"Yes, that's right."

"At this point I would like Max to bring you up to date on the status of the human clone that the RDA shipped here," Gary said in the silence that followed Zoe's last comment.

"Well first and most important, the clone is conscious," Max began.

When the room went utterly quiet he continued. "Alpha, that's the name we have given him, woke early this morning. His vital signs are normal. He is breathing Pandora's air with no apparent difficulty or detrimental side effects. His visual and auditory functions are normal. He has yet to speak so we do not know if is vocal chords are functional. Other than breathing Pandora's air, the most amazing thing about him is the level of his brain activity. 3D MRI and CAT scans show a highly developed brain, but with significant activity in the lobes associated with what used to be called ESP. His overall motor skills are still less than fully functional. But he as shown an ability to learn quickly when it comes to the use of his hands and fingers. Basic skills for grasping and holding were learned quickly. Several times while I was observing him he became agitated, but seemed to calm quickly as if something was soothing him. The analogy that came to my mind was the way a mother pacifies a fretful child by comforting it."

"But who or what is doing the comforting?" Abby asked as she looked around the group.

"Exactly," Kyle added.

"Max, do you have any theories?" Buck asked.

"Only one at this point, but it's totally unsubstantiated. It may be possible that Alpha is able to communicate directly with Eywa through his drug enhanced psychic abilities. We all have a basic level of psychic abilities. They are usually so weak or dormant that we don't even realize that we have them. The combination of mind-altering drugs that Alpha was given on the trip to Pandora may account for this ability, if it does in fact exist."

"That's pretty farfetched, isn't it?" Norm asked.

"Not completely," Max replied. "It's pretty much the same idea as wired versus wireless networks. When a Na'vi uses his queue to connect with another animal, or Eywa, they are making a physical, wired connection. All electrical signals radiate to some degree. That is why wired networks used shielded cables. So they don't give off or pick up other signals. Wireless networks, both computer based or neural based, need sensitive receivers as the transmitted signal is not as strong as wire based signals. That's an over-simplification, but it gets the basic idea across."

"So you're saying that the drugs Alpha was given have turned his brain into a super sensitive receiver that can link with Eywa," Abby stated, trying to put the concept in simpler terms.

"Yes, that is the gist of it." Max added.

"What about Eywa? She hasn't changed." Norm put in.

"No she hasn't," Max replied. "I suspect that she, because of her connection to every living organism on Pandora, has always had the ability to receive some level of information without actual physical contact."

"Supposing Alpha can communicate directly with Eywa," Buck added. "Why would the RDA want him to do so? It would seem that would make him more in tune with her than the RDA. If anything, I would think they would have tried to shield him from any local influences."

"It's possible that is what the RDA intended the drugs to accomplish," Max answered. "But it appears that they had the opposite effect. Mind altering drugs are very difficult to control. Especially in situations such as this."

"I guess we will just have to wait and see how this develops," Norm commented. "At least we don't have a small army of them to worry about if this whole thing heads south."

"Actually that's not entirely accurate," Gary added hesitantly.

"We received the customary manifest from the arriving ISV," Gary continued in the silence that followed his last statement. "She is not carrying the usual complement of replacements and supplies. The manifest shows she is carrying one hundred clones. Seventy-five females and twenty-five males."

"Are you serious?" Kyle asked; his obvious disbelief easily recognizable in his voice.

"Yes, totally. The only way I can read this is that the RDA intents to breed them to have a steady supply of workers for their mining operations."

"Gary, that's crazy," Kyle added.

"Yes it is. At least to our way of thinking it is. But the RDA only sees them as an expendable robot, cyborg, clone, whatever. When it comes to a choice between profits and ethics, or morals, profits always wins. I'm sure the RDA thinks of these clones as nothing more than machines made up of flesh and blood. They are just one more piece of company property, just the same as any other asset."

"If you think about it from the RDA's point of view it makes perfect sense," Zoe suggested. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not condoning their actions. It's just easy to see that they would think of this as a way to reduce costs and increase profits. We all know that shipping humans out here and back again is a very expensive process. Having a natural self-replenishing supply of workers would drastically reduce their costs of operations."

"There is nothing 'natural' about what they are doing," Susan interjected.

"No there isn't," Zoe agreed. "But neither is destroying the Na'vi's homes and world just so the RDA can mine for profit. The unobtanium is just a means to that profit. If some other mineral from some other place was more profitable, the RDA wouldn't be the least bit interested in Pandora."

"So you're saying that it's just the Na'vi's bad luck that their world happens to be full of a profitable mineral," Norm added with some heat in his voice.

"Before we get completely off track," Gary interrupted. "The real issue is that we need to know more about what our single clone is capable of and what are we going to do when one hundred more of them show up in eleven months."

"For starters, we don't allow them to land the clones on Pandora," Buck added.

"We can prevent them from landing here at Hell's Gate," Gary replied. "But the shuttles can set down in any open space anywhere on the planet. We can't stop them from doing so if that is their intention."

"Just how are we going to prevent them from landing here? There are only twelve of us." Abby asked.

"We'll threaten to blow them out of the air," Rocky added. "It would be relatively easy, as the shuttle is a sitting duck just before it lands. Not that we would actually do it. But they wouldn't know for sure if we would or wouldn't."

"As I said before, we have almost a year to decide what we are going to do when the ISV arrives," Gary repeated. "We have many more immediate concerns to keep us well occupied for the next few months."

"Yeah, like just trying to stay alive." Rocky added; his sunny disposition nowhere to be seen.

"We all have more than enough to think about for the time being. For tonight, I suggest that we set everything aside and just relax. Try to enjoy each other's company. It is something we are going to have to learn how to do if we are to keep our sanity for the long haul," Gary concluded.

"Jake, are you awake?" Neytiri whispered softly as she lay quietly by his side in the darkness, her body pressed snugly against his, and utterly relaxed from the intensity of their loving.

"Yes, I can't seem to put all of the past few days behind me. Added to that is the anticipation of moving the entire clan to our new home. There are just so many different things to think about."

"A short time ago you were only thinking of me. Maybe we should try that again. Just so you won't have so much to worry about," she added as she walked her fingers playfully up his chest.

Turning his face to hers she pressed her lips gently to his, letting the pleasure of the feather light contact flow all the way down to her toes. When his had cupped the back of her neck, pressing her lips more firmly against his she felt desire shoot through her in a brilliant flash, singed with welcome heat. In a single fluid movement she swung her leg over him as she positioned herself above him, careful to keep from placing any pressure on the right side of his chest.

Keeping her weight on her knees she bent down to leave a trail of soft open mouthed kisses across his chest as her long un-braided hair brushed silkily over his face and neck. When his hands found her breasts, her breath caught in her throat as pleasure pierced her like an arrow. The burning in her belly was so hot that she felt as if she would burst into flames if she didn't take him inside her immediately.

Rising up she looked into the eyes of the man that loved her; body, mind and spirit. The love she felt from those eyes, from the man who owned them swapped her heart with aching pleasure. Adjusting her position so that they could join in that most intimate and personal way, she heard Ralu cry out in her sleep. The moment lost, she collapsed to lie beside Jake, her breathing still a little ragged.

"What did you say?" Jake asked when Neytiri mumbled something in Na'vi that he didn't hear clearly.

"Nothing," she replied; resigned to the fact that sometimes you didn't get everything you desired.

"I love you, Neytiri."

"I love you too. Now close your eyes. Sleep. Do not worry. Tomorrow will bring a new day for all of us."

"I will try." Jake answered as he felt her settle against his side.

Long after Neytiri's breathing had changed to show that she was asleep; Jake continued to look up at Polyphemus, wondering what the next turn in his life fate had in store for him.


	12. Epilogue

**Pandora – Book One**

**New Beginning**

**Epilogue**

"How long before you and Judy are finished with your survey?" Jake asked when Kyle walked over to where he was gazing out over the river on the bank of the Omaticaya's future home site.

"We have finished all our scans and borings. Judy and Norm are repacking the equipment. We'll be good to go in under an hour," Kyle answered as he followed Jake's gaze out over the river. "I hope the Omaticaya will be happy here. Lord knows they have earned it."

"Yes we certainly have," Jake added, an edge of frustration and anger tainting his voice.

"Neytiri and Ralu have been watching us with great interest. I'm a little concerned that our human curiosity is rubbing off on them. This could have unforeseeable consequences—speaking anthropologically."

"I think we are past the point of worrying about what influence humans have had, or will have on the Na'vi," Jake replied as he turned to look at Kyle. "Good, bad or indifferent, those changes are already a fact. We both know that humans are still going to play a part in the near future of Pandora. Even if they write this world off completely, it will be generations before the Na'vi can return to what used to be normal for them."

"Yeah, your right. Hopefully the results of our survey will provide some answers as to who lived here and how long ago they left. If nothing else it might help to settle Neytiri's concerns over the disturbing impressions that Ralu has picked up on."

"Even if you can come up with a solid explanation as to why the previous inhabitants stopped living here, I'm certain Ralu will still feel some level of uneasiness. Time may be the only remedy for her."

"When do you plan to start bringing people here?" Kyle asked when Jake fell silent.

"I am going to send half of the hunters tomorrow. We will ferry the wounded here in the Samson once the hunters have setup the basic necessities."

"It sure would be nice if we had another pilot," Kyle added. "Rocky is spending a lot of time in the air. Once we get the Omaticaya settled, he will need some down time."

"The same goes for you avatars. You have all been averaging sixteen hours a day in your pods. That takes a toll on your human bodies."

"Yes it does, as you know only too well," Kyle confirmed. "Once we get you and your people settled, we will try and cut back our link time to eight hours a day."

"That might be rough on Norm," Jake added thoughtfully. "How is he doing when he isn't linked?"

"About as well as can be expected. He appears to be getting enough sleep and enough to eat. The rest of us have been trying to make sure he gets as much physical exercise as possible. Which isn't much after you subtract the time linked and time spent sleeping."

"With Karen gone, I'm concerned that he may want to become completely Na'vi in the near future," Jake began. "As there is no going back once you leave your human body, I hope to convince him to wait awhile. Science has always been a big part of his life. As a Na'vi he wouldn't have that anywhere near the degree that he has now. I just don't want him making the switch for the wrong reasons. With that said, I appreciate the fact that you are all trying to keep his human body as fit as possible."

"That's not a problem," Kyle answered cheerfully. "Switching subjects, Max has filled you in on the modified human that the RDA sent out on the same ship with you and Norm?"

"Yes he has. It is going to be interesting to see how that turns out."

"Yes, very," Kyle added. "For me, the most interesting aspect is the possibility of being able to breathe Pandora's air. It would be nice not to have to rely on exopacks for survival out of doors."

"It will take a lot more than breathing the air for humans to establish a permanent colony here on Pandora. Everything in this world is larger than life and twice as deadly."

"Boy, ain't that the truth."

"When the next ISV arrives I would like to tell them to just turn around and go back to Earth, and take their passengers with them" Jake began. "The problem is that the RDA would most likely just space the poor bastards they brought here rather than take them back to Earth. I'm not sure any of us would be able to able to live with that."

"I for one would have a hard time with it," Kyle acknowledged. "I know the others would as well. I think we are going to have to come up with a plan that lets the specially equipped colonists stay here on Pandora. The big question is where do we allow them to settle?"

"The only bright spot in this whole stinking mess is that we have the best part of a year to figure out just what we are going to do once the ship arrives."

"Looks like we are ready to start loading the equipment into the Samson," Kyle said after turning to the sound of Judy's voice calling to him from across the field.

"I'll give you a hand," Jake replied.

"Not today you won't. Until you are fully healed all you can do is give orders."

"When you put it that way, I feel a very long convalescence in my immediate future," Jake added. Grinning he patted Kyle on the back as they headed over to where everyone else as gathered.

[xxxxx]

"How long before you will be able to tell us what happened here?" Neytiri asked Judy once she finished packing the last of her survey equipment in its portable containers.

"When she is ready," Jake answered before Judy could respond.

"Very funny," Neytiri answered, her voice clipped and pure annoyance in her tone.

"Actually, I thought it was," Jake added earning him another steely eyed look from Neytiri.

"Of course you did."

"What? Can't take it as well as you give it." Jake said as he walked up to her and tried to draw her into an embrace.

"Get away from me. Put me down!" Neytiri shrieked as Jake picked her up off her feet. "Idiot! You are going to open the wound in your chest."

"No I'm not. Give me a big kiss," Jake demanded as he lowered her until they were eye to eye.

"No. Now stop embarrassing me and put me down." Struggling to no avail, she finally gave up. "You are awfully strong for someone who had an arrow sticking out of your chest only three days ago," Neytiri added.

"Must be the super-glue Max used to patch me back together."

"I love you," Jake added after several seconds during which they just looked at each other.

"I love you too. Even when you are acting like a moron," Neytiri added.

Giving into the sweet ache she felt when Jake held her close, she brushed her lips gently over Jake's before resting her forehead against his.

When Jake set her down, they both turned to see Ralu smiling knowingly at them. Her smile held knowledge far in advance of what a six your old should comprehend about the dynamics between males and females. Feeling a little flustered at the look her new daughter was giving her, Neytiri gave Jake a gentle shove.

"If you two are ready, we can start loading the equipment onboard the Samson," Judy said to Kyle and Norm.

"Once we get back to the Well of Souls I will fill you in on as much as we have learned so far," Judy said turning her attention back to Neytiri. "I can tell you that we haven't discovered anything that suggests something bad happened to the previous inhabitants. It is going to take a couple of weeks in the lab to get a clearer picture of who lived here and how long ago they did so. We have a lot of data to analyze."

"Neytiri, is this why you have been so uptight—nervous?" Jake asked.

"Yes, I guess it is. I was afraid that they would find some reason that we should not make this our new home. We need a new home for our people so that they can begin to live a normal life again. We need it right now. We do not have time to search for another place. I'm not sure how much longer mother can hold things together if we don't start building a new home soon."

"Tomorrow the first group of hunters will come here to make sure there is food and shelter for the rest of the clan," Jake replied, taking her hands in his. "The Well of Souls is completely dry, the mother tree will survive. Our focus will be on building our new home, and nothing else."

"Yes, that will be good for everyone."

"Okay. Let's get packed. The sooner we start back, the sooner we can eat. I'm starving."

"You're always starving," Neytiri laughed as she gave Jake a good-natured poke in the ribs, being careful not to punch him too hard.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"How is he doing?" Gary asked Max while they stood looking down through the observation window into the prep room.

"Quite well, actually," Max replied. "He has regained the use of his vocal chords. Once he was able to speak semi-clearly, we learned that his name is Adam and that he was twenty-two when he left Earth."

"Does he understand what was done to him?"

"Yes, for the most part. He agreed to the program voluntarily, or at least that's his story. The drugs he was given have heightened the normal disorientation one experiences from almost six years of cryo-sleep. I'm hopeful that condition will pass in the next few days. By that time the avatars return they can take him outside to see how he reacts."

"Have you given any thought as to how to measure his sensitivity to the essence of Pandora that is Eywa?"

"Yes, but I'm still refining how to best go about it. I will probably want to get Jake's input or outright help in that regard."

"I'll leave that to you," Gary added. "Zoe and I will be in the Ops Center if you need us."

[xxxxx]

Entering the Ops Center after snagging two coffees from the cafeteria, Gary found Zoe staring intently at one on the feeds from an orbital satellite. The frown that was clearly visible on her face had him walking directly over to stand behind her to see what she was looking at.

"Is that Zeus?" Gary asked looking at the image of an active volcano.

"Yes. Since the last pass twelve hours ago, activity has increased measurably."

"Have we detected any increase in HS or CO2 here at Hell's Gate?"

"No. But it is only a matter of time if Zeus remains at this level of activity."

"Have you run a simulation for the current rate of volcanic discharge?" Gary asked, looking over some of the charts on the display.

"Yes. The results are anything but encouraging. I have setup a program to monitor the data feed on a continuous basis. All we can do now is wait and see what happens."

"It's bad enough to have to deal with the consequences of the continent splitting up. Adding volcanic activity to the mix is the last thing we need right now."

"The highest concentration of HS will be to the east of Zeus's location. Thankfully there is very little in the way of land based life in the immediate danger zone." Zoe informed him, glancing over her shoulder.

"Have you heard from Rocky lately?" Gary asked as he straightened up and glanced out of the windows.

"Yes. He called in about thirty minutes ago. He should be landing at the Well of Souls in about fifteen minutes," Zoe replied after checking the time readout on the display.

"He will have to start back in about two hours so that he can get back here before sunset. Who will be riding back with him?"

"Kyle and Judy. They want to get started analyzing the data from the scanners and core samples as soon as possible. Buck and Abby will leave their avatars with Jake for the night."

"I assume that Norm will be staying with Jake and Neytiri as well."

"That would be my guess," Zoe replied.

"I'll be glad when the Omaticaya are relocated. Maybe things will settle down so that we can take some time to plan out what to do about the damage to the perimeter fence and the encroaching forest. We can't ignore them for much longer."

"When I agreed to stay, I didn't expect anything like what has happed. Did you?" Zoe asked after she swiveled around so that she and Gary were face to face.

"No, I can't say that I did," he replied scratching the back of his neck.

"Before I asked to sleep with you, I was afraid that I might be sorry afterwards," Zoe began. "But I'm not the least bit sorry. I'm usually an optimistic, or at the least a non-pessimistic, type of person. If things get worse and we don't live to see the arrival of the next ISV I will not have any regrets over the time and intimacy we have shared together."

"I feel the same," Gary added. "But let's not write ourselves off just yet. The environment is going to have to get much worse before it affects us to any great extent."

"I wish the same could be said for the Na'vi," Zoe added wistfully.

"So do I."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"Landing in five minutes," Roger informed his passengers.

"Jake, Judy and I are going back with Roger," Kyle said, raising his voice to be heard over the whine of the turbines and rotors. "As soon as we have answered what questions we can we will start back."

"We appreciate everything you have done," Jake replied. "I know it will ease my mind if we can rule out foul play as the reason our new home site was abandoned. I'm sure it will help relieve other minds as well."

After the Samson set down and the rotors slowed, the six passengers disembarked to find Buck and Abby waiting for them.

"Any problems finishing up the survey?" Abby asked Judy.

"No. Not a one."

"Mo'at has arranged for one last group prayer session tonight," Buck informed Jake and Neytiri. "She felt it would be beneficial to have this time together before people started migrating to the new home site."

"Yes, that would be good," Neytiri answered.

"She said that any of us avatars were more than welcome to join the clan if we wished to participate," Buck added to everyone.

"As much as I would like to join in, we have to leave well before dark," Kyle replied.

"I know that mother will understand," Neytiri said addressing both Judy and Kyle.

"Thank her for us in any event," Judy added.

"I'll do that."

"How about it, Norm? Are you up to bonding with Eywa?" Jake asked.

"Absolutely. I wouldn't miss this opportunity for anything."

"Buck? Abby?" Jake asked turning his attention to them.

"You can count us in," Buck answered after checking with and receiving confirmation from Abby.

"What about me?" Ralu piped up.

"What about you?" Jake replied easily.

"Dad! You know very well what I mean."

"Yes, I do. We'll see."

"What kind of answer is that? How about yes or no?" Ralu demanded.

"Okay. No."

"I'll stick with 'We'll see'", Ralu responded looking totally frustrated.

"Good choice," Neytiri added, smiling at Jake over Ralu's down cast eyes.

In a move that wasn't lost on any of the adults, Ralu took Norm's hand aligning herself with the one person she hoped to convince that she should be allowed to bond with Eywa later in the evening.

"I'll go and find mother," Neytiri told Judy. "See how she wants to handle what you have been able to find out about our new home site."

"It isn't all that much, so don't make it sound like we have lots of answers," Judy replied.

"Be back as quick as I can."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"This Adam character makes me nervous," Susan complained to Ron. "All he does is watch us. It's starting to get creepy."

"He doesn't have anything else to do. It must be frustrating being confined to the prep room."

"True. Thankfully he sleeps a lot."

"The mild sedative we are giving him is working in that respect," Ron added. "Once we are able to let him outside it will be easier on all of us."

"Do you really think he will be able to communicate with Pandora's neural net without a physical link?" Susan asked after transferring the latest set of Adam's vital signs to a multi-dimensional data cube.

"I don't know. Max thinks there is a very good possibility that he will be able to do just that."

"Max is always optimistic," Susan added, brushing her hair away from her face.

"Yes he is, but he is also correct in his assumptions most of the time."

"Can't fault you there. He does have an enviable track record in that regard."

"We'll know soon enough once the avatars can get him outside," Ron began. "If he can function normally without any detrimental effects he will have made one giant leap towards humans establishing a viable colony here on Pandora."

"I'm still not sure I like the idea of setting up a human colony," Susan added. "On one hand I feel that Pandora should be left alone for the Na'vi. On the other it may be the only way for the human race to survive."

"Even if a colony of humans can be established, there is no guarantee that it will flourish and survive. The whole eco structure on Pandora is not very conducive to human physiology."

"Truer words were never spoken. The likelihood of Adam still being alive when the would be colonists arrive is anything but a certainty."

"Since I doubt that we are just going to shove him out the door and say 'adios amigo', I'm betting that he will still be here. Barring any unforeseen incidents, that is," Ron amended.

"We seem to be having more than our fair share of said incidents."

"Too right you are. Let's hope things dull down for a while."

"That would be fine by me. Just fine," Susan concluded.

"One, of the many and varied facts about Adam that has me a bit puzzled is his higher than average IQ," Ron began after a brief silence between them. "I would think that the RDA would not want its colonists-potential workforce to be overly intelligent."

"That fact might lend some credence to Kyle's theory that the real power behind Adam and the boat-load of colonists headed this way is not the RDA, but the central government. If that is the case then I would imagine that they would want the colonists to be as intellectually capable as possible. It would significantly increase their chances for long term adaptation and survival."

"Highly intelligent, or a step above moron, the colonists are going to need a lot of hardware from Earth for many years," Ron surmised. "This colonization processes could take decades."

"Maybe the government made an exclusive deal with the RDA to allow them to mine Pandora for unobtanium in exchange for helping to establish a permanent human colony."

"I hadn't thought of that," Ron answered, pausing to mull the possibility over in his mind.

"I would venture to guess that the Na'vi expulsion of the RDA from Pandora is going to throw a big twist into someone's shorts. It should be interesting to see if, no make that when, Earth responds on the subliminal, just what they have to say."

"Time will definitely tell," Ron concluded.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

When Neytiri returned with Mo'at she found Jake and the avatars discussing migration plans with Rocky. Waiting for them to conclude just how many of their people could be transported in the Samson, she looked around when she realized Ralu and Norm were missing.

"They have gone to put fresh flowers on Karen's grave," Jake informed her when he noticed the concern on her face. "I sent Ell'a'u and Tey'bar with them just to be safe."

"Thank you. I would be worried if they were off on their own."

"Judy, if you are ready mother and I would appreciate hearing about what you have been able to learn about our new home site," Neytiri continued.

"Let's sit and I'll tell you what we know at this time," Judy began.

Once everyone was seated in a small circle Judy continued, "We can rule out any large scale calamity, such as war or a mass sickness that befell the previous inhabitants. For either of those two possibilities to be the case we would have detected a large number of bones with our scanners. In fact, the opposite is true. Except for a small number of what we feel were gravesites, we detected almost no bones at all. This would lead us to believe that the previous inhabitants simply packed up and moved to some other location. We found almost no artifacts—things that the previous inhabitants would have made by hand—in the general area. The few that we did find were probably lost over time and left behind for that reason. Once we can analyze the data from the scans and the holes that we bored we will have a good idea as to how long ago the previous inhabitants lived there."

"I do not understand what this digging into the ground will tell you," Neytiri stated.

"It will give us a picture of what has happed to the ground during previous years. Just as a tree grows over time, so does the ground beneath us. This is especially true in areas where the ground is soft like it is along a riverbank. Once we can extract the core samples, we can show you what they tell us of the past."

"Based on our initial findings we don't see any reason not to make the area your new home," Kyle added. "From all appearances, it should serve your needs quite well for many generations to come."

"Mo'at, unless you feel otherwise, I think we should start moving our people to the new home site tomorrow," Jake said, directly addressing her.

"I agree. Any new home site would not come without questions about its past. We will pay close attention to all that happens there. Ralu's feelings and impressions will not go unheeded."

"If there is nothing more you need from us, we will head back," Kyle said, glancing around the group.

"No. Thank you again," Neytiri replied. "Fly safe."

"Jake, we'll let you know once we arrive at Hell's Gate," Kyle added as everyone rose.

"See you all in the morning," Judy added as she and Kyle headed for the Samson.

"I don't suppose I could get something to eat?" Jake asked once the Samson was airborne.

"Come, we will feed you," Mo'at replied.

[xxxxx]

"Thank you for helping me gather these flowers," Norm told Ralu as they placed the freshly picked blossoms on Karen's grave.

"I was happy to do it. I wish that I could have known her. Sometime, when it is no longer painful, I would like you to tell me about her."

"Yes, I would like to do that," Norm replied as he finished arranging the flowers.

"Are you nervous about bonding with Eywa?" Ralu asked after Norm rearranged the flowers for a second time.

"Yes, a little. I'm also very excited to finally get the chance to do so. I have wondered what it would be like long before I came to Pandora. Looks like I won't have much longer to wait."

"I was afraid the first time, but my desire to know what it would be like was stronger than my fear. As soon I made the bond my fear was forgotten. I felt as though all my senses suddenly grew to take in all that there was. I could feel all of those that were bonded with Eywa. It was like having a hundred pair of eyes, and ears. At first the sensation was over powering. But after a few minutes I was able block out much of the sensations so that I felt in control rather than being at the mercy of all the sensations surrounding me. It was something like swimming for the first time. At first, when you are surrounded by the water you are afraid. Once you get used to the feeling, and learn how to control yourself in the water, it is very pleasant."

"That sounds like a very good explanation. One that I can easily relate to. I wouldn't worry about being able to bond tonight. I would be very surprised if Jake and Neytiri didn't let you. It's not as though this would be your first time. But it might be the last time you get a chance to bond with this particular Mother Tree."

"I'm not worried. Jake…Dad was just teasing me."

"It's getting easier to call Jake Dad isn't it?" Norm asked, looking directly at her.

"Yes. Sometimes I forget or just feel strange. I still think about my birth parents, but it's feeling more natural to call Neytiri and Jake mom and dad."

Ralu didn't add that sometimes the memory of her birth parents would sneak up on her, leaving her heart aching for the loss she had suffered. She knew that Norm was dealing with the very same thing. Talking about it wasn't likely to do either of them any good.

"I sort of know what you mean," Norm began. "Even though Jake isn't my brother by birth, I think of him as my brother. Since he feels the same way about me I feel like I am part of a family. I don't feel so alone."

"I do not understand why you would feel alone. You have all of the other humans that stayed here. You are part of the Omaticaya. You have me. I will always think of you as family," Ralu concluded sincerely.

"Thank you, Ralu. For me, you will always be the daughter I will never have. I hope that you will always be proud of me. I am very proud of you."

Reaching out Norm drew her to him in a warm and loving embrace. Kissing the top of her head he released her after one more quick squeeze. Getting to his feet he held out his hand for the small miracle of love that was already a big part of his life.

Smiling, Ralu placed her hand in his. She was very satisfied that everything was proceeding as she had foreseen.

"Ready to head back?" Norm asked, returning her contagious smile.

"Yes. We should pick some more flowers on the way back—for mother. I'm not sure anyone has ever done that for her before."

"Good idea."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

Disengaged from the link, Kyle waited for the pod lid to fully open. Sitting up he took a few moments to get his human bearing. The longer than normal hours they were all spending in their pods had increased the disorientation a driver normally felt after breaking the link.

"Are you okay?" Max asked as he looked up from checking the controls on Kyle's pod.

"Yeah. A little over tired, and hungry."

Getting to his feet Kyle made his way to Judy's pod just as she stood up.

"I need some food and some sack time," he informed her. "Which we do first I'll leave up to you."

"Food first, I'll risk falling face first in my dinner plate," Judy replied as she stretched her cramped muscles. "I won't be able to fall asleep if I don't get something to eat first."

"You two get out of here. I don't want to see either of you for the rest of the day," Max said after he finished logging Judy's pod data.

"Thanks Max," Judy replied, as she bushed his cheek with a light kiss.

"Anything we need to know about?" Kyle asked as he led Judy towards the bio lab door.

"According to Zoe, Zeus's volcanic activity is on the rise. Nothing to do but wait and see. Other than that, nothing out of the normal."

Finding the cafeteria empty, Kyle and Judy fixed themselves plates from the buffet that was pretty much standard fare since the earthquake. Snagging two cold beers from the cooler they made their way over to sit by the windows so that they could watch the sunset.

"Looks like a storm's coming in," Kyle commented as he scanned the cloud formations in the western sky.

"Should be here by midnight," Judy added, her gaze following his.

"Hopefully the weather won't ground the Samson tomorrow. I know Jake and Neytiri are anxious to get started in moving the Omaticaya to the new home site. What is it?" Kyle asked when he noticed the slight frown form on Judy's face.

"I know that I gave Neytiri and Mo'at my best professional opinion on our findings to date about the new home site. But I have a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I am missing something. If Ralu had not sensed anything I would just dismiss it as being over tired."

"But she has, so you think there is something to it."

"I honestly don't know. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to start talking about vague feelings. The Omaticaya need a new home now and I couldn't come up with one single tangible reason for them not to move to the new site."

"Once we have had a chance to analyze all of the data in the lab you will either finding some physical proof for your apprehensions or you will eliminate them," Kyle added.

"Yes, I'm sure you are right."

[xxxxxxxxxx]

"It is time," Mo'at informed Neytiri as she rose to her feet.

"We have seen to all of our brothers and sisters who could get to the Mother Tree on their own," Jake said as he rose with the others in their group. "Everyone is waiting."

"Come, daughter," Neytiri said to Ralu as she placed one hand in Mo'at's while extending the other.

Without a word Ralu joined hands with Neytiri and the three of them headed towards the central dais.

"Follow me," Jake addressed the three avatars as he turned and followed mother, daughter and grand-daughter.

Reaching the edge of the dais Mo'at gestured for the Norm, Abby and Buck to be seated. Jake and Neytiri, with Ralu between them, sat down next to Norm as Mo'at mounted the dais.

"People, we are gathered here this night to join with Eywa as is our custom," Mo'at began. "As we agreed, the Sky People who helped us preserve and protect our most sacred place have accepted our offer to join in our ceremony. For each of them this will be the first time that they have formed 'Tsahaylu'. We hope that doing so will deepen their understanding of Eywa and all that she is to all Na'vi people. For many years we have felt that all Sky People cannot see. Since Hometree was destroyed we have come to understand that this is not true for all of the Sky People. Those that remained here to help us did so by choice. As we all know, Jake my daughter's mate has with Eywa's blessing left his Sky People's body in her care. He is now one spirit of one body. His is one with the people. He is Na'vi. He is Omaticaya. This will be his first time joining with his people in prayer to Eywa. May he feel all of the blessings that she has to offer. Ralu, the newly adopted daughter of my daughter will also join with us tonight. May she too share in Eywa's blessings."

Glancing at Jake, and then at Abby who was seated between him and Buck, Norm held the end of his queue to the root that ran beside where he was sitting. He watched with as much fascination as trepidation as fine white tendrils grew out of the root and interwove with the tendrils at the exposed end of his queue.

The explosion of consciousness that filled his mind was a blinding shock to his senses. An instant before panic overtook him; he felt a soothing, calming presence in his head. Voices filled with laughter, sorrow, pain, happiness filled his mind. At first it was impossible to understand what he was hearing. Slowly one voice grew to overpower all of the others.

"Grace." Norm wasn't sure if he said her name or only thought it. All of his memories of her flashed through his mind. The many discussions they had shared on Pandora's eco system. Her smile, her frown, her gentle, and sometimes not so gentle, means of teaching both he and Jake the ways of the forest.

'The Na'vi are going to need the help of all that have stayed behind to help protect and preserve this world.' Norm heard Grace's words in his head as clearly as if she were standing in front of him. 'Not all of the threats to their way of life will come at the hands of people from Earth. You will need to use all that you know, all that you are to help save this world and the people on it. Jake is and will be their leader. But you will be his councilor, his most trusted brother and advisor. You're love for these people, your unique perspective, along with that of the other avatars, can save and preserve all that there is here on Pandora. Eywa will guide you. Combine your knowledge with her knowledge, your judgment with hers and you will prevail over the forces that threaten this unique world among the stars of our universe.'

As Grace's voice faded into the mix of voices he was still hearing, Norm realized that the Omaticaya had begun to chant and sing in a slow rhythmic cadence. A sense of serenity began to fill him. It's strength as had to resist as the most potent drug addiction. Giving in without a second thought, Norm felt himself being drawn into a union of mind and body that was impossible to resist.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

November 13, 2010:

This epilogue completes Book I. I hope to begin work on Book II shortly after Thanksgiving. In the meantime we will have much to look forward to with the extended release of the movie and its supporting materials.

It is only fitting that I complete this work to the soundtrack of the theme from the movie.

I See You.

Thank you one and all for reading and reviewing. It has been my pleasure to create this story for your enjoyment.

HogwartsOracle


End file.
